YEREVAN. – We began our capital city Yerevan Council election campaign with difficulty, since we were busy with the preparations for the inaugural convention of the opposition Armenian National Congress (ANC) Party.

Yerevan former Mayor Vahagn Khachatryan, who heads the ANC list for Sunday’s election, stated the aforesaid during a press conference on Thursday.

Khachatryan added that, notwithstanding this, they were able to accomplish the objectives they had set before themselves.

In his words, during the most recent gatherings the non-government candidates were putting the same emphasis that this is a political election because they are convinced that they can put an end to the current system by way of this voting.  

The ANC member said the authorities opposed them with their whole might this time, as well, and they were doing everything so that the representative of the authorities would be more presentable.    

In Khachatryan’s words, even the regional governors set up election campaign offices in Yerevan, and this means the authorities have no votes either in the capital city, or in entire Armenia. 

He further informed that business representatives likewise declared that the authorities have given them directives to take certain number of people to the election precincts.   

Yerevan’s former mayor also noted that during this election the criminal elements are dictating to the authorities. 

“The kleptocratic state comes up against us with its full face,” Vahagn Khachatryan stated.   

Photo by Arsen Sargsyan/NEWS.am