YEREVAN.- Armenian presidential candidate Paruyr Hayirkyan, who was hospitalized with a wound after an assassination attempt, said he is obliged to apply to the Constitutional Court with a request to postpone the elections for at least 15 days.
Talking to the reporters of RFE/RL Armenian service and Public Television, Hayrikyan himself said he feels well. Speaking about election, the presidential contender said he is not willing to postpone the vote.
Under the law, election can be delayed by 15 or 40 days, but Hayrikyan tends to postpone for 15 days, he stressed.
Speaking about possible suspects, Hayrikyan said he suspects special services of a foreign state which had been following him for a long period of time.
“I mean Russian KGB. My words that we must take a path towards Europe, my emphasis, raised concerns. I suppose it has link to it. I do not have personal rivals,” he emphasized.
Politician said he saw the gunman and would be able to identify him. When the unknown gunman fired for the first time, Hayrikyan shouted to alert the neighbors. Then, he fired for the second time.
“My neighbors came out. I opened the entrance door and went in. I do not remember what happened next,” he told reporters.
Hayrikyan considers it is another challenge not targeted at him, but the programs he is carrying.
“I do not think any of the presidential candidates was capable of this,” he noted.
As Armenian News-NEWS.am informed earlier, an assassination attempt was made against presidential candidate, opposition National Self-Determination Union Chairman Paruyr Hayrikyan, on Thursday at around 11:20pm in downtown Yerevan, in front of his home. Hayrikyan was shot and hospitalized with a gunshot wound . He underwent a successful surgery Friday morning, and a bullet—which was located in the soft tissues of his right elbow shoulder—was removed.
Numerous senior officials, politicians, and other presidential contenders are coming to the hospital to visit him.
A criminal case is opened in connection with the assassination attempt against Paruyr Hayrikyan. It is launched on charges of carrying out an assassination attempt against a statesman, political or public figure, which—that is, the attempt—is carried out to end this person’s noted activities. This crime is punishable by imprisonment for 12-20 years, or life in prison.
The National Security Service is conducting the investigation.
