YEREVAN. – No matter how long the talks between Armenia’s President Serzh Sargsyan and 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 and who declared a hunger strike on March 10 at capital city Yerevan’s Liberty Square—are delayed, this matter is about but one position, sociologist Aharon Adibekyan stated during a press conference on Wednesday.   

“The incumbent President will not give up his office because he has moral obligations before [his] supporters, and official duties before those states with whose leadership he has arrangements,” the sociologist stressed.   

In his view, the Armenian capital city Yerevan Council election—which is slated for May 5—will not see a coalition, since this did not happen in the previous voting.

“First and foremost, the ambitions of the Armenian political forces will not allow this. Acting with a united front requires a great deal of political experience and awareness, also, concessions from the politicians. But democracy is young in our country,” Adibekyan said.   

He added that the letter-based correspondence between Serzh Sargsyan and Raffi Hovannisian aims to buy time until the presidential inauguration, which is scheduled for April 9. 

“I believe there will be no contact after April 9, and there is no political crisis in the country, as Heritage’s representatives claim,” Aharon Adibekyan concluded.    

Photo by Arsen Sargsyan/NEWS.am