Raffi Hovannisian: Yerevan arrests aimed at intimidating people (video)
We are stepping the next, perhaps an extraordinary, junction that will determine our future, Heritage Party Leader Raffi Hovannisian said today speaking about the December 1 rally planned by the New Armenia Public Salvation Front ahead of the Dec. 6 constitutional referendum. He is convinced that people will unite and stand up to protect their constitutional rights. “Laying down their party flag, members of the New Armenia front invite everyone to a pan-national struggle aimed at saving our dignity. Everything depends on us, everything depends on our people, everyone should go out and struggle for their rights instead of sitting in their homes and cursing the darkness,” Mr Hovannisian said. The leader of the Heritage Party says ‘this is not a struggle for power or thrown, it is the imperative of the moment.’ “We urge people not to be afraid, to forgive each other for past mistakes and become one fist. The regime that has seized the power in Armenia should step down and people should have truly elected authorities,” he said. If people decide to stay at Liberty Square, Raffi Hovannisian will join them. “I shall be neither the first nor the last, I shall stay in the middle and will stay at the square because that will the choice of our people,” he continued. “If the authorities decide not to step down voluntarily then we shall start a long struggle,” Mr Hovannisian said adding he is ready to do everything like an ordinary soldier. “I am ready to nominate my candidacy again although I would prefer to stay next to our youth.” Speaking about Wednesday’s arrest of a criminal gang and the ‘special operations’ of the National Security Service, Mr Hovannisian did not rule out that they simply wanted to intimidate people. “Many things speak of the superficiality of the operation. We have a fair judicial system, everything depends on one person, but we will wait for the results of investigation. Anyway, I believe that they want to intimidate people and warn them against taking actions but we are not afraid of them and we are determined to go till the end. It is absurd to call it an act of terrorism,” Mr Hovannisian said.
