YEREVAN. – Armenia’s presidential contender, National Accord party Chairman Aram Harutyunyan is not preparing to petition to the Constitutional Court (CC) so that the forthcoming election could be postponed for fifteen days. Harutyunyan himself told this to Armenian News-NEWS.am. 

He believes that withdrawing his formal nomination on Friday is much more significant. 

“By petitioning to the CC, you allow them to make a decision in your place. But when you withdraw your candidacy, you state that this election is illegitimate; this is a bigger thing. If I am withdrawing [my nomination], what is the point in me petitioning to CC?” he said.      

Also, he noted that the decision by fellow presidential candidate, opposition National Self-Determination Union Chairman Paruyr Hayrikyan—who is recovering at hospital from a gunshot wound after an assassination attempt—to not petition to the Constitutional Court, with a request to postpone the forthcoming presidential election, was already clear for him several days ago.     

“I do not know any [other] country where an assassination attempt is staged against a presidential contender and he starts praising the authorities; this is a bit incomprehensible for me,” Aram Harutyunyan stated.  

As Armenian News-NEWS.am informed earlier, Paruyr Hayrikyan’s attorney Levon Baghdasaryan announced Tuesday that Hayrikyan will not petition to the Constitutional Court with a formal request to postpone the presidential election, and therefore the vote will be conducted on February 18, as planned. And Hayrikyan explained his reason for this by saying he does not wish to contribute to the plans to forcibly change Armenia’s political agenda.   

Photo by Arsen Sargsyan/NEWS.am