YEREVAN. – For the most part, defeated political forces are not liked, especially if they have received their votes on the account of other political forces, sociologist Aharon Adibekyan said during a press conference on Saturday.       

In his words, the “snatching” of votes during Monday’s presidential vote refers more to opposition Heritage Party Chairman Raffi Hovannisian—who was declared runner-up to the winner, ruling Republican Party (RPA) leader, incumbent President Sargsyan, but who claims to be the real winner in the vote—rather than Sargsyan.  

“The 5.1 percent of the 37 percent of [the votes of] presidential candidate Raffi Hovannisian belonged to the [Prosperous Armenia Party] PAP, which had not nominated a candidate; 2.1 percent [belonged to] RPA; 1.3 percent, to the [opposition bloc Armenian National Congress] ANC, which likewise did not have its own candidate; 1.2 percent, to the [opposition] ARF [Dashnaktsutyun Party]; 0.5 percent, to the [coalition government’s junior member, Orinats Yerkir (Rule of Law) Party] RLP; and 0.2 percent, to other political forces,” the sociologist maintained.          

Adibekyan added that there also were a 5 percent of the people, who had not voted for any political force in the May 2012 parliamentary election, but rather cast their ballots in favor of an individual candidate. 

“Had the incumbent president resorted to a violation of the Constitution and designated a new [presidential] election in the country, [and] in which other political figures [likewise] had run, a mere 7-8 percent [of the votes] would have remained from Raffi Hovannisian’s 37 percent [of today],” the sociologist stated. 

Aharon Adibekyan added that Sargsyan’s decision not to set up a new election will save Hovannisian’s face and, as a result, he will remain in Armenian history as the authorities’ sole challenger who received such high percentage of votes.   

To note, Raffi Hovannisian and Serzh Sargsyan met Thursday, during which Hovannisian proposed Sargsyan to conduct a new presidential election, but Sargsyan rejected this proposition.    

Photo by Arsen Sargsyan/NEWS.am