ANC won’t risk repetition of March 2008 events - MP

PanARMENIAN.Net - Armenian National Congress (ANC) opposition bloc won’t risk repetition of March 2008 events, according to a member of the ruling Republican Party of Armenia (RPA).

“ANC leader Levon Ter-Petrossian assured the opposition will continue struggle against the ruling authorities in Constitution framework,” Razmik Zohrabyan told a news conference in Yerevan. The MP further urged ANC to continue the opposition-coalition dialogue without making the pre-term elections their sole focus.

“Minor issues, (ANC supporter Tirgan Arakelyan’s arrest) which caused the dialogue suspension, must only be given a legal solution. The dialogue succeeded in causing a positive shift: no clashes during ANC rallies were observed,” the politician said.

Representatives of the ruling coalition have held meetings since July 18, the two main issues on the agenda being conduction of extraordinary election (on ANC demand) and development of canons of political competition (as suggested by the authorities).

Problems emerged when police detained 7 young ANC activists. According to the ANC, on August 9 police officers used violence against ANC activists Tigran Arakelyan and Artak Karapetyan. Upon arrival to the site, activists Areg Gevorgyan, Sahak Muradyan, Vahagn Gevorgyan, Sargis Gevorgyan and David Kirimajyan tried to settle the dispute but were beaten as well, the ANC said. All above-mentioned were taken to a police station.

Currently, Tigran Arakelyan is kept in custody. The others were released.

On August 26, the Congress announced that it suspends the dialogue and believes Arakelyan to be a political prisoner.

As ANC leader stated at recent rally in Yerevan, 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 Levon Ter-Petrossian, unless the detainee is released, ANC is ready to mobilize its supporters to force ruling authorities into conducting to snap elections.