YEREVAN. – As of now, Armenia’s presidential candidate, opposition National Self-Determination Union (NSU) Chairman Paruyr Hayrikyan—who is recovering at hospital from a gunshot wound after a recent assassination attempt—has decided petitioning to the Constitutional Court (CC), with a formal request to postpone the presidential election—which is slated for February 18—for two weeks. Hayrikyan’s friend, NSU Public Relations Officer, and the candidate’s election campaign headquarters representative Garo Yegnukian told this to Armenian News-NEWS.am.  

He noted that Hayrikyan will be at CC, on Sunday at 3:30pm, to submit his petition. The campaign headquarters, however, is not disclosing the full content of the petition but, aside from the request to put off the voting for two weeks, there are other circumstances in it, too.     

At the same time, Garo Yegnukian noted that Paruyr Hayrikyan still could change his mind and not apply to the Court, but this would depend on some circumstances, including the reactions by other fellow contenders. 

To note Hayrikyan on Saturday issued an open letter to fellow candidates, namely, opposition Freedom Party Chairman, former PM Hrant Bagratyan and opposition Heritage Party Chairman, former FM Raffi Hovannisian, with a call for a single oppositional candidate. “In reality, if I postpone the [presidential] election [which is slated for February 18] for two weeks, we can propose a single candidate, bring all of our platforms together, and present ourselves jointly before the people for ten days. And, in this case, our joint percentage [of the votes] will become 80 percent. Dear Raffi and Hrant: Either we achieve a result together, or we lose separately. The options for selecting the organizational, psychological, single candidate likewise are designed,” Hayrikyan specifically wrote in his open letter, which is posted in his Facebook page. Bagratyan and Hovannisian, however, have not yet replied to Hayrikyan’s open letter.            

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. On Friday, however, Hayrikyan noted that they are preparing to submit a petition and, also, that he wants to note in his petition that he should have the right to withdraw it at any time, and depending on his health condition. Subsequently, representatives fro Hayrikyan’s campaign headquarters announced that the CC is prepared to accept the petition on Sunday, too. So, if Hayrikyan’s health condition does not improve, the petition will be submitted on Sunday.      

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. The National Security Service is conducting the investigation. And on Thursday, formerly convicted Khachatur Poghosyan (born in 1966), and Samvel Harutyunyan (born in 1972) were arrested on suspicion of carrying out an assassination attempt against Paruyr Hayrikyan.

Photo by Arsen Sargsyan/NEWS.am