YEREVAN. – No one has the right to get votes through threats, ARF Dashnaktsutyun parliament group head Vahan Hovhannisyan said on Wednesday during the rally in the Liberty Square.

“Look at whom they [those bribing voters] approach. At first, it was you, now they visit the poor, the retired and people who receive social benefits. They do not approach you any more as they have realized that it is not possible to get your vote. We should prove that your vote is worth something,” Hovhannisyan said adding the situation is not good in regions as well. “They visit homes and threaten if people will not vote for them they will cut their social benefits. No one has the right to do that. And even if someone dares to, the ARFD will cut their ears.”

The Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) Dashnaktsutyun is one of the oldest Armenian political parties. It was founded in the end of 19th century.

Following the Sovietization of Armenia in 1920, the ARF-Dashnaktsutyun was banned by the Communists and its leadership exiled. The ARF-Dashnaktsutyun officially re-emerged in Armenia after the collapse of the USSR, in 1990.

In June 2003, the party signed a coalition memorandum with the Republican Party of Armenia and Orinats Yerkir (Rule of Law). However, in 2009 ARFD left the coalition in protest against signing the protocols with Turkey.

Party’s proportional list includes 85 candidates. Eight candidates will run for an MP seat with majority system. The party’s motto is ‘Freedom, Justice, Dashnaktsutyun.’