YEREVAN. – The expectations, which the people of Armenia had as a result of the post-presidential-election rallies, did not justify themselves. Opposition Social-Democratic Hnchakyan Party (SDHP) Chairwoman, Armenian National Congress (ANC) National Assembly Faction member Lyudmila Sargsyan stated this during a press conference on Friday.

She noted that, sadly, the initial assessments which SDHP had made have come out to be correct, and they knew what the outcome would be.

“If there is no program, there are no steps, no political force could have gone,” she said, and stressed that they need to work so as to keep the hope for an early election.  

As per Sargsyan, what was taking place in capital city Yerevan’s Liberty Square is a manifestation of sweeping public discontent, but not a movement. She noted that it would have been nobler to present the situation and give assessments from the very beginning, instead of keeping silent and attempting to wheedle 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.  

“We are not his [that is, Hovannisian’s] enemies; we are his friends. But we had not pinned hopes on him that he would lead, [and] which could bring to the triumphant phase,” the ANC MP noted, and added:

“If you invite the people to a rally and declare yourself leader, you should be very well aware of the measure of [your] accountability. It would have been nobler [for Hovannisian] to make his decision, following the Constitutional Court’s ruling [according to which the aforesaid presidential election results stand], and to announce that the post-election movement chapter is closed,” she noted.       

In Lyudmila Sargsyan’s view, the most significant leader in Armenia is First President, leader of the ANC bloc, Levon Ter-Petrosyan, who is able to direct the people and to ease their wrath from the platform.    

Photo by Arsen Sargsyan/Armenian News-NEWS.am