“If Armenians had elected Vahan Hovhannisyan president in 2008 we would be living in a different Armenia now,” Armen Rustamyan, one of the newly elected members of ARF Dashnaktsutyn Supreme body, told a press conference. He also added that the party will nominate its candidate at the next presidential election.

He said that the recent ARFD supreme conference discussed domestic political issues, stressing that a change of power is the only way out of the current grave situation in Armenia.

“Obviously, the incumbent Armenian authorities are unable to solve topical problems. The country needs a new regime, which would be capable of resolving problems,” Rustamyan said. In this context, he stated that Dashnaktsutyun is the only force capable of solving the existing problems. “Time comes when changing the ruling regime becomes a matter of national security,” Rustamyan noted.

He pointed out an explosive situation in Armenia. “Social discontent has never reached such a peak and social situation was never been so difficult. I hope that the authorities realize it as well,” Rustamyan said. He does not rule out a social outbreak in the country. ARFD member forecasts that every new election will worsen the situation. “The reason is that the Armenian people have been unable to form power based on free expression of will for many years,” he stressed. The ARFD is ready for any force majeure and can participate in the elections any time. “During elections the authorities themselves corrupt the people and then they seek great achievements. It is impossible,” Rustamyan said.

As to the ARFD’s relations with the ex-president Robert Kocharyan, Rustamyan said that the ARFD will never be anyone’s party and its mission does not stipulate any person’s return to the political scene. “It is up to Kocharyan, let him do what he wants,” he said.  The ARFD representative added that many of the problems mentioned at the ARFD supreme conference arose during Kocharyan’s rule.