VAHAN HOVHANNISYAN DOES NOT TRY

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“Samvel Shahinyan distorts the real facts and does not have any idea of the current processes”, said the NA Deputy Chairman, member of the ARF Bureau, presidential candidate Vahan Hovhannisyan to “A1+”, reflecting on Samvel Shahinyan’s words, who is the head of Vazgen Manukyan’s headquarters. Samvel Shahinyan did not exclude that Vahan Hovhannisyan would withdraw his candidature in Vazgen Manukyan’s favor.

“You cannot exclude anything in politics. Each candidate should decide for himself that he fights for victory. Some candidates want to try their strengths, some are fulfilling an order, some fight to win. Those who fight for victory should assess their real chances and the chances of their opponents. The real assessment of chances today shows that Samvel Shahinyan’s calculations do not correspond to the reality”.

- Do you consider that the pre-election situation is getting tensed?

- I have heard that it is getting tensed. I am concerned with Arthur Baghdasaryan’s announcement that someone threatened him. I think that he should not have made it public during the meeting, since it might cause extra tension. But if it had happened in deed, then competent bodies should take serious measures immediately, but not invite Arthur Baghdasaryan to the Prosecutor’s Office to get some information on the pre-election bribe. They should find out whether it has really happened or not. And if it has happened, they should find the perpetrators and punish them.

- How would you assess the incident which took place during Levon Ter-Petrosyan’s gathering in Artashat?

- It is unacceptable for me. Unfortunately, I see no ideological-political grounds in the incident. No quarrel takes place during an ideological argument, since intelligent people always hold debates. But when there is an individual disagreement between two people and it is a fight for power and is not a political fight, it often results in quarrel. Despite what caused the quarrel, the competent people should react quickly and respond harshly and adequately.

- What would you say about the incident in Tsovagyugh?

- Once they tried to compare it with the incident in Talin, but there is a difference. Talin incident took place because one of the participants of the gathering contradicted the organizers, causing a political debate. It is, of course, unacceptable for us. In our case, the microphone was off, one of the villagers decided to drive the car through the participants of the meeting and some participants began a fight. It had nothing to do with the meeting; it was a disrespectful attitude toward the participants. Anyway, it is painful and we do not welcome it.

- Do you think there is a program fight between the candidates?

- We present ourselves and our programs. We do not censure anyone. The nation should understand that those who fight against each other on political basis, may bring the situation to a more dangerous point. To avoid this they should give their votes to us.

- How do you assess your chances?

- I consider that we have all chances to win.

- Do you consider that the elections may be concluded in the first round?

- I consider that a second round will take place.

- In case the elections are concluded in the first round, may it result in a civil war?

- It depends on the results of the first round. If they are not rigged, then no civil war may break out.

- Do you believe that one may justly win in the first round?

- I consider that it is difficult to win in the first round.

- What would you say about the social surveys, which are used by the authorities’ candidate?

- They are respected international organizations, but God knows who their agents are, how they are paid, and what tasks they have got. We respect the Council of Europe and the OSCE, but their observers make such announcements and conclusions, which contradict not only what we witness, but they contradict each other.

Talked Knarik Isoyan