Union for National Self-determination expects to win 10 to 12% of the vote in parliamentary election, the party spokesman Norayr Khanzadyan said at the news conference held today, however, without specifying the way of obtaining so many votes. He only said the party intends to collect certain number of signatures. Norayr Khanzadyan reminded journalists about 1999 when union had managed to collect...

Today at the end of the sin-in /the participants of it don’t spend night at the president’s residence/ when Artak Hakobyan, “Republic” Party member, gathered the chairs, megaphone and placards and put them into his car, a representative of Internal Affairs’ Department, providing security for the president, went up to him. ”Lieutenant-Colonel Afyan approached me and said I broke the arrangement. I asked what I had done. He said I had...

Yerevan Mayor Robert Nazaryan will take part in the parliamentary elections on May 25 by proportional procedure .He is the first in 75-member election list of “Powerful Homeland” Party. At the press conference in office for “PH” he commented on his motives for participation in the elections. ”The Mayor post once more convinced me that it is necessary to have a team of supporters in the Legislative Power to more effectively work in the...

Armenian National Assembly Speaker Armen Khachatryan has no intention to run in the 2003 parliamentary elections, he said today. He said he would do his best to be useful to his country working at any other position.

Opposition held today’s rally in order to remaind once again that Robert Kocharyan has claimed victory amid accusations of vote fraud. In fact, his administration suffered a heavy defeat and now, in a bid to retain power, it resorts to suppression and violence. “Robert Kocharyan and his close circle being on the edge of collapse, in a desperate attempt to remain in power, fabricated case against...

News conference was held today at the Russian Federation Embassy in Armenia to announce that preparations for constitution referendum in Chechnya scheduled for March 23 are already completed. 414 polling stations are ready for the referendum across Chechnya. Police take all precautions against Chechen terrorists possible attacks on the polling stations. 537,655 Chechnya’s residents are eligible...

Arminfo news agency photo-reporter Merujan Minassyan was bitten by police and taken in custody while shooting opposition march. Two hours later, after the agency administration interference, he was freed.

Today Parliament discussed the bill on “Tobacco Control”. Gagik Tadevosyan, Chairman of Parliament Committee for Health, Social and Ecology, announced “we are unique in CIS territory as we banned tobacco and alcohol advertising through Mass Media”. According to Mr Tadevosyan’s data, “40 of population smokes in our country” . Under his calculation, tobacco of 350 million drams is sold in Armenia whereas “expense part of our budget...

As members of “Justice” Alliance, 5 candidates for presidency will take part in the parliamentary elections by proportional procedure . The representatives of 9 Opposition parties /People’s Party, “Republic”, National Democratic Union, National Democratic Party, National Democratic Alliance, Constitutional Rights Union, Democratic Party of Armenia, Social Democratic Hnchakyan Party, Social and Democratic Party of Armenia/, intend to make...

MP Seyran Avagyan, Chairman of Democratic Liberal Union of Armenia, said at March 16 conference their party represents the interests of small and medium business. He thinks progress of the country can be provided thanks to development of small and medium business undertakings . ”How is your party going to protect the interests of that stratum or to support it to develop whereas the state doesn’t fight against monopoly and Authorities turn...

On March 15 Armen Sargssyan /Vazgen Sargssyan’s brother/ was called to Office of Prosecutor for interrogation on murder case of Tigran Naghdalyan and was arrested. He was brought an accusation against and detention was chosen as a preventive punishment. Armen Sargssyan is charged with masterminding murder of Tigran Naghdalyan, Chairman of Council for Public TV and Radio Company . According to...

On the 17th of March, at 1:00 PM Vazgen Sargssyan’s mother is intended to organise a sitting protest near the President’s residence. On March 16 her son, Vazgen Sargssyan’s brother Armen Sargssyan was arrested on the allegation of Tigran Nagdalyan’s assassination. According to latest data, Armen Sarkisyan is at the neighbouring prison cell with Nairi Hunanyan.

Today, Central Election Commission received the first applications for registration. By 16:00 local time, three parties applied for participation in parliamentary elections: United Labour Party headed by Gurgen Arsenyan put up 43, Renewed Communist Party led by Yura Manukyan – 40 and Artashes Geghamyan’s National Unity – 70 candidates.

“Democratic Motherland” party issued a statement today. The party doesn’t recognise the results of both the first and the second rounds of presidential election, because the republic authorities have resorted to violence, fraud and other election illegalities in the course of the election, the statement says. The “Democratic Motherland” is convinced that the republic’s current leadership is unable to ensure fair parliamentary elections....

Manuk Gasparyan, a member of National Assembly, predicted today at Azdak Club how many seats in the Parliament will take one or another party. In his words, Republican Party will win 15 seats, Stepan Demirchyan’s block – 15 or 20, Artashes Geghamyan – 10 and “Orinats Erkir” – 7 or 8%. And Ramkavar party as well as Paruyr Hayrikyan’s one are doomed to failure, he said. Manuk Gasparyan also informed journalists that “Free and Independent...

“The Country to People”. That’s the motto of Liberal Union for upcoming parliamentary elections. The Liberal Union consists of Union for National Self-determination plus 2 parties and 10 public organisations. Today, the UNS leader Pruyr Hayrikyan informed journalists about the Liberal Union creation. 33 candidates nominated by the UNS will stand the election through the party list, while the party other candidates will run for seats in the...

Though CEC declared Robert Kocharyan as the president of Armenia, tens of thousands of people held a rally today, sure that Stepan Demirchyan is the elected president. Albert Bazeyan, Chairman of Political Council for ”Republic” Party informed read out the statement of power supporting Demirchyan. “The United Opposition will continue fighting for restoration of constitutional order and forming...

Today Azeri “Svobodni Azerbaijan” TV Company phoned “Ayb-Fe” and announced: “The other day in New York OSCE Co-Chairmen discussed suggestions regarding Karabakhi problem. OSCE Russian Co-Chair Nikolai Gribkov in person had talked to us by phone and announced the suggestions referred to Azerbaijan territorial integrity. What can you say about it?” The statement of our Azeri colleagues and their wish to get comment on it from us is strange....

“Process of preparation and carrying out of 2003 presidential elections was full of flagrant violations and masterminded irregularities which had considerable impact on election results that can’t be considered as legal” , Ruben Torossyan, Co-ordinator of Committee, Controlling Election Legality, fixed in his preliminary statement today. Comparing 1998 and 2003 presidential elections, Mr Torossyan announced: “At the aspect of lawfulness...

EU Foreign Policy and Security Chief Javier Solana congratulated Robert Kocharyan on his re-election and wished good luck in second term of his presidency. President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbaev sent a congratulation message to Kocharyan as well. “Stable policy pursued by Armenian authorities is appreciated very much in Kazakhstan. I am convinced that relationship between our countries based...

OSCE mission in Armenia told our correspondent that OSCE/ODIHR observation mission headed by Peter Eicher left Armenia. Before his departure Peter Eicher expressed his disappointment at process and results of presidential election in the republic. The head of PACE observation mission Lord Russell Johnston said in his turn that he could use even stronger word than “disappointment”. Two observers...

“It is senseless to the opposition to win three, five or even 15 seats in National Assembly. If it turns so, the Parliament will get under control by the republic leadership, “Repuclic” party chair Albert Bazeyan said speaking today at National Press Club. The opposition determination to win parliamentary elections is increasingly growing, he said. In his opinion, victory would enable it to put forward a motion of no confidence in president...

Hearing on suit filed by presidential candidate Stepan Demirchyan’s proxy Ashot Sargssyan against Central Election Commission is held today at first instance court. Sargssyan filed a lawsuit in court accusing a number of polling stations’ commissions of idleness and demanding to compel the CEC to declare their illegal decisions invalid. The suit contains evidence of serious breaches of Electoral...

The National Unity and the Communist Party of Armenia have already made public their intention to participate in upcoming parliamentary elections separately from the union of 16 opposition parties. One of the Communist party members, who enjoys reputation of hard-line opposition activist, said the list of the party candidates for parliamentary elections is being composed at the office of Defence Minister...