YEREVAN. – Speaking to 168 Zham daily, and commenting on the assassination attempt against Armenia’s presidential candidate, opposition National Self-Determination Union Chairman Paruyr Hayrikyan—who is recovering at hospital from a gunshot wound—, National Security Party Chairman, incumbent President Serzh Sargsyan’s National Assembly former representative Garnik Isagulyan said as follows:

“‘I believe, instead of commenting on the occurrence, the fact should be recorded that a gunshot was fired at a presidential candidate of Armenia.’  

Isagulyan is convinced that, ‘regardless of the motive of the operation, the operation’s object, Paruyr Hayrikyan, suffered from the operation, [but] the operation was directed against precisely one person: serving president of the republic, presidential candidate, [and] the operation’s subject, Serzh Sargsyan,’” 168 Zham quotes.   

As Armenian News-NEWS.am informed earlier, Paruyr Hayrikyan announced Tuesday that he 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. Hayrikyan explained his reason for this by saying he does not wish to contribute to the plans to forcibly change Armenia’s political agenda.   

To note, an assassination attempt was made against presidential candidate, opposition National Self-Determination Union Chairman Paruyr Hayrikyan, on January 31 at around 11:20pm in downtown Yerevan, in front of his home. Hayrikyan was shot and hospitalized with a gunshot wound. He underwent a successful surgery on the morning of February 1, and a bullet—which was located in the soft tissues of his right elbow shoulder—was removed. 

A criminal case is opened in connection with the assassination attempt against Paruyr Hayrikyan. It is launched on charges of carrying out an assassination attempt against a statesman, political or public figure, which—that is, the attempt—is carried out to end this person’s noted activities. This crime is punishable by imprisonment for 12-20 years, or life in prison.