Ter-Petrossian notes partial similarities between Mar 1 and Sept 26, 1996 events

 October 3, 2011 - 20:37 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - Armenian National Congress (ANC) opposition bloc leader noted only partial similarities between post-election period of March 1, 2008 and September 26, 1996.

However, as Levon Ter-Petrossian told an open-air news conference at Liberty Square, the events of 1996 were different in quality. “At the time, Vazgen Manukyan entered the parliament building, warning his supporters to break in, unless he’s back in 20 minutes. When people, obviously violent, came up to gates, I ordered to shoot in the air. The idea of aiming shots at supporters belonged to Serzh Sargsyan, then a police commander,” Ter-Petrossian said.

On September 22, 1996, opposition supporters discovered a number of voting violations during 1995 presidential election.

Refusing to accept official results, assigning Ter-Petrossian and unified opposition candidate Vazgen Manukyan 51,75% and 41,29% of votes respectively, the opposition supporters broke into presidential residence on September 26, 1996. The protest action was suppressed on the orders of President Levon Ter-Petrossian.