YEREVAN. – The domestic political situation in Armenia is quite lively, but there were no heated political debates during the presidential election, and each candidate organized his election campaign. Politologists’ Union of Armenia Chairman Hmayak Hovhannisyan stated this during a press conference on Monday.

“In the post-election period, we saw that opposition leader [Heritage Party Chairman, former FM] Raffi Hovannisian [who was 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 ended a 21-day hunger strike on March 31 at capital city Yerevan’s Liberty Square] began an active fight, and he is preparing to hold a swearing-in ceremony on April 9 [that is, the day when President Sargsyan is scheduled to formally swear in for a second term in office],” the political scientist said.   

In his words, the question is how Hovannisian sees the solution, and he sees it in Sargsyan’s voluntary stepping down from office.    

“This process has led to the fact that the favorable atmosphere, which was created for him [that is, Hovannisian] at Liberty Square, has disappeared because doubts arose among the people after when the matter referred to [receiving governmental] posts.

“Does this mean sharing power with the people, as Raffi Hovannisian claims? Power is indivisible; it serves to solve the people’s problems. They are either returning power to the people, or snatching it away,” Hmayak Hovhannisyan noted.    

In his conviction, if Sargsyan has stolen power, how will Hovannisian hold talks with him.       

“How can he [that is, Hovannisian] be offered to share this stolen power? The people should be made to become more active, and to go on the road of a ‘velvet revolution.’ Also, surveys may be set up and ask who voted in whose favor, thereby proving that there has been a usurpation of power,” Hmayak Hovhannisyan concluded.  

Photo by Arsen Sargsyan/NEWS.am