By-elections and Serzh Sargsyan’s pledge
During his recent meeting with the President of the European Commission [José Manuel Barroso], Serzh Sargsyan assured the European official that the presidential elections to be held in Armenian in February would meet the European standards.
"Caesar's wife is above suspicion, isn't she? How can I doubt President's words?" says levon Khachatryan, an MP of the Prosperous Armenia Party (BHK)
Vartan Oskanian, another lawmaker of the same party, is ready to wait and see how Serzh Sargsyan keeps his pledge.
"For example if we take the example of the previous elections, I must confess that they do not instill much hope," he said.
Vartan Oskanian has doubts about whether the by-elections held in Yerevan's Avan district and Shirak marz, were democratic or not.
Unlike Oskanian, Galust Sahakyan, head of the Republican Party (HHK) faction, is certain of the election outcome.
"Our candidates garnered 75-80 percent of votes," he said.
Galust Sahakyan is aware that their candidates [both in Avan and Gyumri] took voters in minibuses to polling-stations to vote for them. "This is a practice in the USA," he said citing the recent presidential election in the country.
The HHK official says an ultimate priority for his party is to hold free and fair elections in February. Another priority is the outcome of the elections, i.e. Serzh Sargsyan's victory.
