YEREVAN. – Mikayel Hayrapetyan-led Conservative Party, which is included in the opposition bloc Armenian National Congress (ANC), released a statement Tuesday announcing that it is leaving ANC.  

“Acknowledging Armenia’s Founding President [and ANC leader] Levon Ter-Petrosyan’s public interview with respect to his refusal to run in the 2013 presidential elections, the Armenian National Congress’ founding member Conservative Party leaves, on [Tuesday,] December 25, 2012: 1) The Armenian National Congress, 2) [National Assembly] NA ANC bloc,” the Conservative Party statement reads in particular.          

To note, Levon Ter-Petrosyan announced Tuesday that he will not run for the Office of the President of Armenia in the elections to be held on February 18, 2013.