YEREVAN. – For the most part, the expectations of Armenia’s opposition Heritage Party did not come true.   

Heritage’s vice-chairman Armen Martirosyan, who headed the Heritage-led “Barev [Hello], Yerevan” bloc’s list in the capital city Yerevan Council of Elders election on May 5, stated the aforesaid on Friday. 

As per Martirosyan, they were expecting different results from last year’s parliamentary and the recent Yerevan municipal voting. And even though they did not have great expectations from the presidential election on February 18, the vast majority of the citizens supported Heritage’s chairman, ex-presidential candidate, former FM Raffi Hovannisian.  

He noted that elections are rigged in Armenia ever since 1995, and the Yerevan municipal vote was much worse than the last parliamentary and presidential elections.

The Heritage Party official noted that during the Yerevan election the voter punished the oppositional forces, “saying that I am in an extreme situation, whereas you continue the petty party ambitions.” 

Martirosyan also argued that the “Barev, Yerevan” bloc is the only political force that won seats in the Yerevan Council of Elders without distributing election bribe and in line with the letter of the Electoral Code. He is confident that they will work effectively in the council and perform a function of oversight.         

“Again we will have to protect the interests of the citizenry. A difficult duty is placed [upon us], which we will try to carry out,” Armen Martirosyan said.

Photo by Arsen Sargsyan/NEWS.am