YEREVAN. – Armenian presidential contender, opposition National Self-Determination Union Chairman Paruyr Hayrikyan—who is recovering at hospital from a gunshot wound after a recent assassination attempt—has not yet made a final decision on whether or not he will petition to the Constitutional Court for a postponement of the presidential election, which is slated for February 18. The sources from Zhoghovurd daily, however, claim that, in this way, Hayrikyan is attempting to land a position from the ruling Republican Party (RPA) candidate, incumbent President, Serzh Sargsyan.   

“Specifically, there are rumors that he [that is, Hayrikyan] wants to become an MP, with the majority election system. There was a conversation that an RPA member, who became MP with the majority election system, will be appointed to the executive [branch of government] so that Hayrikyan may run [for MP] at that electoral district and win. This option, however, has not been approved yet by RPA, by [the RPA leader] Sargsyan.     

This notwithstanding, we spoke with Hayrikyan, to verify this news, who, however, denied. ‘I am running in the presidential election; I want to become president, not an MP,’[he said,]” Zhoghovurd writes. 

Photo by Arsen Sargsyan/NEWS.am