Armenia votes: Prime ministerial nominees of all political forces head to polls

Today marks a historic date on Armenia’s calendar as the political forces led by all the former presidents are running in the country’s second ever snap parliamentary election.

After a 24-hour silence, the leading figures of the political parties and blocs headed to polls to perform their civic duty. 

Second President Robert Kocharyan, who leads Armenia Alliance, was the first to cast his ballot. He was also quick to react to the reported incident of spreading anti-campaign leaflets targeting their political team. “Thousands of surveillance cameras are installed across the city, and footages are also available now. Hence the fact that the [incident] is still unresolved gives ground to real suspicions,” he said.

The opposition Bright Armenia party’s leader, Edmon Marukyan, cast his ballot in Yerevan’s 1/20 polling station. The politician stressed the importance of re-establishing solidarity in the country as a real effort to overcome the existing challenges.

The prime ministerial candidate of the opposition Prosperous Armenia party (PAP), Gagik Tsarukyan, voted in polling station #29/29 of Arinj (Kotayk region). Asked about their future plans in case of remaining discontent with the election outcome, the politician said he doesn’t see any reason for “unnecessary fuss”. “What am I supposed to do if people themselves did not have the willingness to vote [for our political party]?” he asked.

Artur Vanetsyan, the top candidate of I Have the Honor bloc, described today’s voting as a “crucial choice of survival”. “The authorities understand perfectly well their zero chances of survival, so they are exerting their last desperate efforts to remain glued to power,” told reporters after casting his ballot.

Addressing the reported pressures against members of the bloc, third President Serzh Sargsyan (who is also the leader of the former ruling Republican Party), accused the law enforcement authorities of a “targeted crackdown” against their political team.

The prime ministerial nominee of the Armenian National Congress – first President Levon Ter-Petrosyan – left the polling station without any comment.

The leader of the ruling Civil Contract party, Nikol Pashinyan, also refrained from responding to journalists after his voting this afternoon. The acting prime minister was at the polling station with his family.