YEREVAN. – The fact that opposition bloc Armenian National Congress (ANC) leader, and First President, Levon Ter-Petrosyan announced by way of the press about his decision to not run for president in February’s elections stems from his contemptuous attitude which he has always displayed toward the people and his supporters, ruling Republican Party (RPA) National Assembly Faction Secretary Hovhannes Sahakyan told Armenian News-NEWS.am.  

Sahakyan is of the view that if the reason for Ter-Petrosyan deciding not to run in the elections is his age, as he himself argues, he could have announced this decision during recent congress of the opposition Armenian National Movement (ANM) party. 

“And if he did not wish to announce [this] in the ANM convention, that likewise is his and ANM’s problem,” Sahakyan noted.   

The RPA MP added that there would not have been any significant difference whether or not the ANC leader ran in the presidential race. First, as per Sahakyan, because the body politic was apathetic and Ter Petrosyan, being a seasoned politician, probably sensed this, and therefore he decided not to run in the elections. 

“Now, the ANC de facto does not exist,” the ruling party MP concluded.

To note, in an interview with a daily, 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.