YEREVAN. – Armenian presidential nominee, political scientist Andreas Ghukasyan issued a letter, which is addressed to the Central Electoral Commission Chairman Tigran Mukuchyan, in connection with holding free elections in the country. 

“Even though Armenia’s Electoral Code does not specify that the presidential elections need to be free, they need to be such in order to be real. [And] Since the state’s international commitments to hold free and real elections are not clearly specified by the law, this right of the citizenry is not guaranteed. 

The party in power [that is, the Republican Party (RPA)] is abusing its position within the state, and it is not a conscientious competitor toward other participants in the elections.   

I find that the body politic’s right to freedom of choice can solely be exercised in the case of excluding the ruling party candidate’s [that is, RPA leader and incumbent President Serzh Sargsyan’s] running in the election.

If the ruling party candidate’s registration is not declared null and void before the start of the [election] campaign, I will consider my and the public’s right to vote to be violated. My civic duty dictates me to declare an indefinite hunger strike to defend this right,” presidential nominee Andreas Ghukasyan’s letter reads in particular.