YEREVAN. – During Armenia’s presidential election campaign season, an assassination attempt was staged against one of the candidates, Paruyr Hayrikyan, and following the election, against the authorities. Former presidential hopeful, National Accord party Chairman Aram Harutyunyan stated this during a press conference on Thursday.  

“In the presidential election, and with their votes, the citizenry carried out a political assassination attempt against [serving President] Serzh Sargsyan. Now, he is politically ‘bed-stricken.’ Serzh Sargsyan suffers from the ‘people’s hatred’ disease, and this hatred is mutual,” Harutyunyan said.    

In his words, opposition Heritage Party Chairman, former FM Raffi Hovannisian—who is declared runner-up to the winner, incumbent President Serzh Sargsyan, as a result of the presidential election that was conducted on February 18, but who claims to be the real winner in the vote—is prolonging Sargsyan’s “bed-stricken” condition. 

“But there is no recovery; his days are numbered. The key task for Serzh Sargsyan is also the matter of a successor. The Armenian authorities today are lot weaker than the prior authorities,” the former presidential candidate said, and added that if Hovannisian does not become resolute, Sargsyan will extend his “life expectancy” with a drug called “fake opposition.”       

Photo by Arsen Sargsyan/NEWS.am