YEREVAN. – There is a wrong impression in Armenia’s society that, in line with sociological surveys, 70 percent votes were predicted for President Serzh Sargsyan for the recent elections. Sociologist Aharon Adibekyan stated during a press conference on Wednesday, commenting on the surveys he had conducted ahead of this vote.  

“A belief is rooted among the society that the sociologists had ‘painted’ more than 70 percent [of the votes] to Serzh Sargsyan, whereas he did not even receive 60 percent. At the time, we did not receive the percentages from the entire number of voters, but rather from [that of] the decided [voters],” the sociologist explained.      

As per Adibekyan, the same applies to opposition 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—, who was able to draw in the majority of the undecided voters.    

“That is why he garnered 20 percent from the already decided [voters], but [received] 37 percent in the end,” Adibekyan said.

In addition, the number of votes Hovannisian received in the presidential elections does not primarily coincide with the number of his party’s constituents.

“He garnered these votes on the account of [non-governmental] Prosperous Armenia [Party], [opposition] Armenian National Congress, and [opposition] ARF [Dashnaktsutyun Party] not running in the [presidential] election. [But] now, when they again are involved in the elections [that is, in the capital city Yerevan Council vote, which is scheduled for May 5], Heritage’s electorate takes on its former shape,” Aharon Adibekyan assured.