What happened in Armenia five years ago?
On September 25, 2007, Armenia's Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan said he would ‘in all likelihood' stand for president in the 2008 presidential election. Four days before, after 10 years' silence, Armenia's first President Levon Ter-Petrosyan made a speech, raising the importance of ‘dissolving the corrupt criminal system led by Robert Kocharyan and Serzh Sargsyan.'
A few days later, acting Preisdent Robert Kocharyan suggested that Levon Ter-Petrosyan was trying to enter into the political struggle and said, "If Ter-Petrosyan decides to be engaged in the race, he will become an ordinary opposition figure."
On September 29, the first President met with the leadership of the Dashnaktsutyun to speak about his ‘intention to run for president.'
On October 2, the Country of Law (OEK) announced its intent to name its leader Arthur Baghdasaryan in the presidential election. The leader of the New Times Party (NZhK), Aram Karapetyan, made a similar announcement on October 4.
On October 16, Levon Ter-Petrosyan, who had not yet officially announced about his nomination, met with OEK Chairman Arthur Baghdasaryan. After the meeting, the latter said Ter-Petrosyan would likely run for president. Following these events, the authorities arrested Nikol Pashinyan and Shogher Matevosyan, supporters of Levon Ter-Petrosyan.
On October 26, Levon Ter-Petrosyan announces his intention to participate in the 2008 presidential election to become the forth political figure to announce his nomination officially 100 days before Election Day. Earlier, the first President had met with Artashes Geghamyan and Karabakh President Bako Sahakyan. On October 30, it became known that Serzh Sargsyan's election headquarters would be housed in the building of the Armenian Football Federation led by Ruben Hayrapetyan.
The next day Robert Kocharyan publically blamed the first President for destroying the country's industry during his tenure in office. Authorities immediately started inspections in the objects belonging to Ter-Petrosyan's teammate Khachatur Sukiasyan.
"This is a political show," said the businessman. On November 8, Levon Ter-Petrosyan met with Heritage Party Leader Raffi Hovannisian.
On November 12, 100 days before the election, the Republican Party officially nominated in its 11th congress Serzh Sargsyan as its candidate for president. The country's Prime Minister [Serzh Sargsyan] blamed the first President for his determination to return to politics with the aim of finally destroying the country and urged Levon Ter-Petrosyan to plead guilty for the wrongs he had committed during his reign. On November 14, the outgoing President Robert Kocharyan spoke about opposition's likelihood to field a single candidate. "I do not understand the idea of a single candidate," he said.
On November 15, Stepan Demitchyan's party voiced its support for Levon Ter-Petrosyan during the 2008 presidential election. The next day, Levon Ter-Petrosyan called on opposition forces to unite. On the same day, the first President apologized to the Armenian people for bringing Robert Kocharyan and Serzh Sargsyan to power. At the same time, he promised to resign in three years if he was elected as President.
"Perhaps three years is enough for him (Levon Ter-Petrosyan) to surrender Karabakh," presidential candidate Serzh Sargsyan said three days later. In the meantime, Vazgen Manukyan became the first opposition figure not to express his support for Levon Ter-Petrosyan. On November 22, OEK announced its decision to participate in the election with its own candidate - Arthur Baghdasaryan. The party said it was not going to join Ter-Petrosyan.
Thus, on November 23, 1998, the main presidential challengers were already known. The political campaign was in full swing, with parties convening congresses and expressing their stances.
What is going on today - three months before the February election? Only Raffi Hovannisian has announced his intention to stand for president. Serzh Sargsyan's teammates say his nomination is inevitable. Levon Ter-Petrosyan keeps silent, while BHK Leader Gagik Tsarukyan has made a decision but is not going to publicize it.
