Authorities, oligarchs, WikiLeаks, PACE get slammed at ANC rally

PanARMENIAN.Net - On September 9, Armenian National Congress (ANC) opposition bloc rally launched at Yerevan’s Liberty Square with approx. 2000 people gathered.

Armenian Police estimated the number of rally participants at 5-5,5 thousand people.

Haykakan Zhamanak newspaper editor-in-chief Nikol Pashinyan opened the rally, urging those present to prepare for a constitutional revolution.

“A revolution has ripened in Yerevan, with junta, holding the power in the country, unable to resolve society’s problems,” he stressed.

Pashinyan urged those gathered for a revolution, promising that the ruling President will resign within 24 hours, should 500000 people take to streets to voice their protest.

ANC to force authorities into snap elections unless Tigran Arakelyan released

The opposition is ready to resume dialogue with authorities in case of ANC supporter Tigran Arakelyan’s release, the 1st Armenian president, ANC leader said.

As Levon Ter-Petrossian stated, refusal to release Arakelyan within the next few days will prove the incident between the police and opposition supporter to be a put-up job.

According to Ter-Petrossian, unless the detainee is released, ANC is ready to mobilize its supporters to force the ruling authorities into agreeing to snap elections.

ANC slams PACE over closing chapter on March 2008 events

ANC slammed PACE report on March 2008 events, characterizing closing the chapter on tragic events as unacceptable.

“We won’t allow the phrasing used in for PACE statement to enter the minds of the Armenian people,” Pashinyan stated.

Armenian authorities are lying about their inability to discover the truth behind March 1, 2008 events, the former judge advocate of Armenia said.

As Gagik Jangiryan stated at ANC rally, the authorities’ efforts to discover March 2008 events are a mere imitation.

According to Jangiryan, beside Armenian police and armed forces, the Nagorno Karabakh special purpose police units were involved in March 2008 events.

Parents of dead Armenian army soldiers join ANC

The parents of dead Armenian army soldiers joined the ranks of ANC, Armenian National Movement (ANM) board chairman said.

As Aram Manukyan stated at ANC rally, the dead soldiers' families consider the change of power to be the only way of resolving current problems.

A few words on 2008 presidential election

WikiLeaks cables prove that Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan wouldn't have won in fair election, ANC opposition bloc coordinator said.

“According to the website, the court decision, announcing 2008 presidential election to be legal, was taken under severe pressure from presidential administration,” Levon Zurabyan stressed.

Ter-Petrossian concerned over oligarchs seizing power in parliament

During the rally, ANC leader addressed the issue of Armenian parliamentarians, who are engaged in entrepreneurial activities counter to Armenian Constitution stipulations.

“76 out of 131 Armenian MPs own their businesses. Factually, oligarchs have seized the power in the National Assembly, with Armenian President turning a blind eye to the problem,” Ter-Petrossian said.

ANC decides against organising rally on Sept 21

ANC announced September 23 as the next rally date, altering its previous decision to organize it on September 21, Armenian Independence Day.

The decision was prompted by the fact that although the independence referendum was held on September 21, the results were announced on September 23.