YEREVAN. – Armenia’s presidential hopeful, National Accord party Chairman Aram Harutyunyan issued a statement and noted that he will go on a hunger strike, on Thursday at 5pm, in front of the Central Electoral Commission building. He will stay there until 5pm Friday and, subsequently, 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 Thursday. 

In his statement, the presidential hopeful also noted that insurmountable obstacles were set before the Prosperous Armenia Party, opposition block Armenian National Congress, and opposition ARF Dashnaktsutyun Party, ahead of the nomination of the candidates, and therefore these political forces did not nominate anyone.   

Considering all this, the presidential candidate stated that the forthcoming vote is illegitimate, and he called upon all other contenders to withdraw their formal nominations and to leave the ruling Republican Party candidate, incumbent President Serzh Sargsyan all alone in the ballot.

Prior to starting his hunger strike, however, Harutyunyan plans to visit fellow candidate Andreas Ghukasyan, who already is on a hunger strike ever since January 21. 

Also, Aram Harutyunyan is confident that even if the other candidates do not drop out from the presidential race, they will not congratulate Sargsyan if he is reelected into office. 

Photo by Arsen Sargsyan/NEWS.am