Responded to Levon Ter-Petrosyan
Leader of "Heritage" party Raffi Hovhannisian pardons all criticism and aspersions against him. According to Hovhannisian, 15,000 citizens have visited him at Freedom Square in the past week of his hunger strike called "Fast for Freedom".
During his open-air press conference, Hovhannisian said all citizens have called on him to stop the hunger strike and look after himself. Although Raffi Hovhannisian expressed his gratitude to the citizens, he said:
"I find that the authorities and the public sector need to progress. We are in an unprecedented, catastrophic situation and on the threshold of dangerous developments. By delaying a solution, we are only delaying the bloody and very undesirable outbursts that may take place," said Hovhannisian.
He also touched upon the speculations that his fast has a civil, political and Christian significance. The "Heritage" party leader regretted to say that people didn't pay attention to his speech during the party's March 15 congress and the party's 21-point political requisition presented before the session held in a wide format.
To avoid any misunderstanding, Raffi Hovhannisian once again read all 21 demands, after which he showed all signs reading "Free Citizens, Free Country", "Power to the People", "No to a "kusaktsapetutyun" (two-party state)", "The People are the Owners of the Country", "SOS, Armenians are Leaving Armenia" and more.
"I entered Freedom Square as a proud citizen of Armenia to exercise my constitutional right and not within the framework of any Christian ritual or fasting," said Hovhannisian.
Touching upon RA First President Levon Ter-Petrosyan's announcement according to which he didn't approach Raffi Hovhannisian at Freedom Square on March 17 because he doesn't accept a show of fasting, Raffi Hovhannisian mentioned:
"I sincerely and cordially wish everyone, including the First President God's blessing and a long life."
