YEREVAN. - Preparing for and holding the upcoming parliamentary elections at high level is definitely our key task today.

President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan noted the aforementioned at the session of the Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) Board on Thursday.

''We are starting from very good positions. We are ready to present to our society how well we see the real issues we face. We have programs ensuring the most realistic and real progress, and most importantly, the most viable team.  

Our party forms the agenda and sets the benchmark of the political field. Our party has long been like this— for at least 10-12 years. Some may like this and other may not, but this is the reality. Consequently, besides coming up with our programs, it is first of all our obligation to hold good elections within the framework of the new Constitutional regulations and in accordance with the new Electoral Code. We have so far been doing everything to hold such elections and should henceforth continue with the same spirit,'' he said.

According to the President, ''when the negotiations on the Electoral Code were underway with the representatives of the opposition and civil society, there was no point round which we were not constructive, where we didn't make reasonable concessions to have an Electoral Code adopted through political consensus.  This is unprecedented not only for our country but generally in practice. Thus, we must be very careful about our input in this.''

The President also noted that there has recently been certain divergence of opinions in the political field regarding the setting of April 2 as the election day.  ''Our lawyers have convincing arguments on that this is the most efficient solution in terms of law. Expert opinions on this will yet be published,'' he said.

''[But] Frankly speaking, beyond the legal formulations, I personally have concerns too. I would like to dedicate April 2 and the following several days to our hero boys, their memory and honoring them. During those days I would like our society to see the great work carried out in the area of army building, as well as the new solutions and achievements. I would like all of us to assure our people and the world that we will act the same way in all such cases. Of course, we do this now too, regardless of the elections. Personally I have not been against extending the elections by 4-5 days while signing the decree, and I am not against this now as well. But let's wait a little more until all the participants of the elections become clear and we are able to agree with them—all of them without exception. I think nothing would hinder us if we extend the elections only for several days. And if we reach a political consensus, I am confident the lawyers can give the substantiation for this very easily, this not disturbing the electoral process. But let’s wait and see what happens,” he concluded.