A candidate in Armenia’s presidential elections Paruyr Hayrikyan, shot and wounded in an assassination attempt, said his inability to participate in a campaign is not a tragedy.

Hayrikyan further cited several reasons behind his decision to recall a poll delay application earlier filed to the Constitutional Court: “I had little time, so I had to choose between Hayrikyan as a politician or Hayrikyan as a presidential candidate. I chose the latter option.”

Presidential hopeful Andrias Ghukasyan’s promise to continue his hunger strike till the election day was another reason behind Hayrikyan’s decision.

As Hayrikyan noted, while visiting him in a hospital, incumbent president Serzh Sargsyan never referred to the date of the elections. However, another candidate, Hrant Bagratyan was less considerate in trying to force him to apply to the Constitutional Court.

Hayrikyan believes the 2nd round of the elections to be inevitable. “Then I’ll be the one to decide which course we’ll follow,” he said.