Heritage party leader sends final demands to Armenia's president

Chairman of the Heritage party and ex-presidential candidate Raffi Hovannisian’s rally has kicked off in Yerevan’s Freedom Square. 

According to preliminary information, he is expected to present his final demands, which will then be presented to Armenia’s President Serzh Sargsyan.

Mr Hovannisian and his supporters called the rally “victorious.”

On Thursday, Mr Hovannisian submitted a Heritage nomination list in the forthcoming municipal elections in Yerevan. Heritage party Vice-Chairman Armen Martirosyan tops the list.

18:26 Policemen ordered Raffi Hovannisian to remove the placards from the monument to Hovannes Tumanyan.

Vice-Chief of Yerevan Police Department, Colonel Valery Osipyan approached Mr Hovannisian and demanded that he forbid the young people. In response, Mr Hovannisian said that the young people expressed their opinion in such a manner.

“If you say I am violating the law, I will approach them in an hour and ask them to remove the placards,” he said. 

19:02 Raffi Hovannisian intends to send two proposals to Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan in a “sealed envelope.”

According to Mr Hovannisian, “if Serzh Sargsyan wants to continue ruling after rigged and anti-constitutional elections…”

He proposed either snap presidential or parliamentary elections in Armenia this year.

Armenia’s election law must be amended first, which will put an end to the first-past-the-post voting system and grant the voting right to Armenia’s citizens living abroad.

Mr Hovannisian demands that Serzh Sargsyan dismiss the governors of at least five Armenian regions and appoint persons proposed by Mr Hovannisian.

“He must appoint executives representing the people and proposed by Raffi Hovannisian,” he said.

According to him, the executives must be appointed at Armenia’s National Security Service, Customs Committee, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Education and Science, Control Chamber, Council of Justice and Anticorruption Commission.

“This agreement” is to be signed by both sides.

Mr Hovannisian is ready to “meet Serzh Sargsyan half-way” to resolve the national problem and reform the country, putting an end to monopolies, injustice, unemployment and emigration.

According to Mr Hovannisian, the period before April 9 is the most important in Serzh Sargsyan’s biography. 

19:22 Raffi Hovannisian’s father Richard Hovannisian made a speech at the rally. He is for settling the issue by means of dialogue.

“I should confess I was against his [Raffi Hovannisian’s] nomination. I was sure they would press his and that meant suicide. But I am happy I was wrong. With your help we have not only shocked Armenia, but also the Armenian Diaspora,” he said.

The Armenian nation needs peace and Mr Richard Hovannisian hopes that constructive work will be possible due to a dialogue and concessions.

19:25 On behalf of about 30 freedom fighters Raffi Hovannisian read out a message, beginning with Vazgen Sargsyan’s words, “We gave everything to the Artsakh war and gained pride for that.”

The message calls for remembering this keeping this pride and get rid of affliction, poverty, emigration and “march toward Freedom Square.” 

19:29 Anahit Bakhshyan, a Heritage party member, read out a “warm” letter addressed to Raffi Hovannisian.

“Dear President Raffi Hovannisian, the people are with you,” says the author of the letter. Her family was on the point of leaving Armenia, but the latest developments in Armenia inspire hope and they decided not to leave.

“We will be beside you on April 9,” says the letter. 

19:40 The journalist and freedom fighter Suren Sargsyan said that the world powers have for 15 years seen what has been going on in Armenia. However, they have been supporting the country’s authorities.

“Inspired by the world’s attitude, notorious Serzh Sargsyan expressed brilliant thoughts. And I did not expect anything else from him,” Mr Suren Sargsyan said.

According to him, Armenia’s president has not used this period to “raise his education level.”

“After the bloody feast [Robert] Kocharyan and Serzh [Sargsyan] had on March 1, 2008, I remained alive. But I go to the Yerablur pantheon and feel ashamed. What can I tell my friends? Will I tell them their children are hardly making both ends meet and judges sentence innocent people to imprisonment, and the villages liberated at the cost of our blood are empty?”

“In the February 18 presidential election you said you decisive ‘no’ to Serzh Sargsyan’s sectarian movement. And come here on April 9 and say ‘no’ to his inauguration. The political figures that are no present here now see the people have made their decision,” the journalist said. 

19:53 Head of the Heritage parliamentary group Rubik Hakobyan addressed Armenian President Sezh Sargsyan’s meetings with journalists.

“Serzh Sargsyan says that there are no businessmen in Armenia’s parliament. He says that Raffi Hovannisian used indecent expressions. What does the following mean: ‘What can I say to sick, hungry and embittered people?’” he said.

“Raffi Hovannisian is embittered and the people are embittered because the authorities did not allow them to form their power by their votes,” he said.

“But this time we will break with this tradition. I can assure you that the ruling clan’s interests will not overbalance the people’s interests,” he said. 

20:27 In conclusion, Raffi Hovannisian said that his concern is the people’s victory rather than his own presidency.

“Next Friday we are going to hold a landmark rally, and we are going to see together,” he said.

“This means that we must decide where we are going to be present on April 9,” Mr Hovannisian said.

From Sunday civil councils’ meetings will resume. Public and political figures Arkady Vardanyan and Vardan Khachatryan, Styopa Safaryan and Vardan Hakobyan will make speeches.

“Each of us must sacrifice a little and we will certainly make our dream come true,” Mr Hovannisian said.