YEREVAN. – Armenia’s presidential contender, National Accord party Chairman Aram Harutyunyan will go on a hunger strike, on Thursday at 5pm, in front of the Central Electoral Commission building. He will sit there until 5pm Friday and, at that time, he will withdraw his formal nomination for the presidential election to be held on February 18. Harutyunyan himself informed this during a press conference on Wednesday.     

He stated that the objective of his action is to call upon the other presidential candidates to likewise withdraw their nominations.  

But he does not believe he is abandoning the “battlefield.” On the contrary, he is confident that he is the one who is staying there.

“I am the one who will remain after [February] 18. Today they are playing children’s games with [the ruling Republican Party candidate, incumbent President] Serzh Sargsyan. He who remains in the ballot will have nothing to say on [February] 19. Some of the candidates will begin stuttering on [February] 19. Those people will not be in the political arena following [February] 18; [but] me and many [other] people will be [there],” Harutyunyan said.     

Also, the presidential hopeful predicted that a new situation will be created, a group of leaders will emerge, and this group must take the people out of the current situation. 

Aram Harutyunyan believes he has reached his objective and was able to get his message across during the election campaign. The presidential contender noted that had he sought to be elected, he would have presented a platform.   

Photo by Arsen Sargsyan/NEWS.am