YEREVAN. – The opposition bloc Armenian National Congress (ANC) and the ruling coalition’s Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) are not taking part in the parliamentary election debate being held in the capital Yerevan. 

Solely four of the nine political forces which will run in the elections are participating in this event. Along with the ANC and the RPA, the coalition’s Prosperous Armenia and the Orinats Yerkir (Rule of Law) parties plus the Democratic Party are absent from the debate.     

According to our information, the ANC did not show up because it was informed beforehand that the RPA would not come. Our source at the ANC noted that the latter’s “battle” is only with the RPA, and not with the other political forces. 

German Ambassador to Armenia, Hans-Jochen Schmidt, is likewise on hand at the event