YEREVAN. - If the authorities decide to use brute force to disperse opposition Armenian National Congress’ (ANC) rally, this would put them in a very difficult position, ANC Central Office Coordinator Levon Zurabyan stated on Friday during ANC’s rally at capital Yerevan’s Liberty Square.

Reflecting on the possible steps by the authorities, Zurabyan noted that PACE (Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe) will examine Armenia’s issue on October 7. French President Nicolas Sarkozy will soon come to Armenia.

“[Armenian President] Serzh Sargsyan will be in a very inconvenient position if he decides to use brute force to disperse ANC’s rally. Therefore, after analyzing for long, they decided to carry out a plan. They are doing everything to thwart the rally. This is a battle of nerves. They are resorting to lowest and petty tricks. They are turning off the lights of Liberty Square. Today, they reached a more shameful decision and had all toilets closed,” Zurabyan said.            

He also informed that they are getting reports from the regions that those wishing to come to the capital are being detained.

“They stopped transportation in the whole republic. They are prepared to upset the republic’s transportation [system] for one week, just to obstruct the rally,” he said. “We now have two tasks. One is permanent attendance to this rally, and the other is for all of us come together in this square, at 6:30 p.m., and guarantee an impressive attendance.”

He also reflected to the picketers who spent the night at Liberty Square.

“This difficult night that you spent under this rain was clearly more difficult in October than in February. Yet it is clear that everyone is in good health and is not cold,” he added.   

A continuous protest demonstration was announced during ANC’s rally on Friday evening. ANC led by Armenia’s First President Levon Ter-Petrosyan demands early presidential and parliamentary elections. At the same time ANC expressed readiness to resume the suspended dialogue with the country’s authorities. Next rally will start on Saturday at 6:30 p.m.