Presidential candidate Andreas Ghukasyan has addressed an open letter to his challengers in the February 18 presidential election, urging them to withdraw from the race.
The letter is particularly addressed to Aram Harutyunyan (National Accord Party), Arman Melikyan (former Foreign Affairs Minister of Artsakh), Hrant Bagratyan (Armenian National Congress), Paruyr Hayrikyan (Union for National Self-Determination), Vardan Sedrakyan (specialist in Armenian epic studies) and Raffi Hovannisian (Heritage Party).
"The public, whose rights are not guaranteed and protected, is in fact deprived of the Constitution, with the power being concentrated in the hands of one political force. The political figure is a person who assumes the protection of the interests of the public. Today we have the right to form a new political agenda for Armenia. At the same time, the responsibility to determine the country's political future is placed on us. I suggest that we all bow out of the presidential race the outcome of which is already predetermined and initiate a joint civic movement for radical changes in the country.
I am convinced that the civil movement against the criminal-oligarchic system to be led by Paruyr Hayrikyan, Hrant Bagratyan and Raffi Hovannisian, will give tangible results and will be crowned with success. I do believe that the other candidates will correctly assess the situation and subordinate personal interests to national ones. People expect us to take practical steps, rather than wage a senseless struggle," Andreas Ghukasyan said calling on the candidates to jointly withdraw their candidacies by January 15 of this year and thus start a new political sitaution in the Republic of Armenia.
