– It has been two weeks since the pre-election campaign started and already they have been a lot of incidents. In Kentron and Avan communities a group of young people managed to beat up men and women who were distributing fliers of the Armenian National Congress. Furthermore, two days ago there was an incident but this time in participation of two coalition partners – the RPA and PA parties. What is the reason of this pre-election tension?
– These incidents come to prove that the real face of the authorities has not change, they are the same. These authorities have always relied on the criminal potential during all elections. In the tenure of this government the criminal groups are flourishing. Alas, both Yerevan and the other places of our country are challenged to be a center for criminal conflicts and disputes. This government is not able to get rid of the criminal-oligarchic system in the country. Furthermore, the government is the guarantee of this criminal and oligarchic clan. Accordingly we should not accept the assurances of the government people that the elections will be transparent and fair seriously. This government even doesn’t know what it means to organize fair elections. Both Yerevan and the country need real changes, but it is clear that the incumbent administration is not able to bring about that change. The most surprising thing is that those political powers are promising to take care of the architecture, green areas and human rights in the city who have been responsible for them in the past too but violated everything.
– There have been publications in the media writing that in addition to intimidation on people the authorities are using all other means to win the elections. According to your opinion what opportunities does the ANC have to win the upcoming election?
– In case of fair elections I think the congress has a real and very big opportunity to win. The congress has that real opportunity to win and start the necessary changes. Certainly, after winning the primary objective will be taking care of the simple laws and regulations in Yerevan. The city should be clean up.
– Heritage party did not join the ANC. The ARF resigned from the government and announced about becoming opposition. This means that the power of the opposition is not concentrated in one place. Does the congress have a problem with uniting the electorate in such conditions? Do you think that the ARF is real opposition?
– Of course it would be desirable if the Heritage and ANC participated in the elections jointly, but now the ANC still has real opportunities to win. This campaign came to prove this fact. As for the ARF, time will show whether it is opposition or no. However it is clear that both the ARF and other powers of the government are responsible for the negative things and shortcomings, which they are addressing in their speeches themselves too.
– Before the campaign there were rumors that the governmental powers, including the ARF, would participate in the mayoral elections in any format only for the purpose of supporting the RPA’s victory. However the incident that happened between the RPA and PA came to prove vice versa. How do you estimate the strategy of the parties involved in the campaign?
– This incident shows that there is tension and the PA and RPA parties are competing too. However I think that the coalition parties, even if they participate in the elections differently, will join eventually in Yerevan city council.
– Why are the authorities so interested in the elections of Yerevan mayor and why are they doing anything to win?
– These elections are important not only for Yerevan but the entire country as well. The victory of the opposition will be the beginning of recovering the constitutional order in the country with the efforts of the opposition. In other words in case of victory the possibility of holding extraordinary elections is becoming more visible and we believe people need this to overcome the existing crisis in the country.
– Will the congress work in the city council and won’t withdraw its mandates if the congress fails to collect as many votes as it needs for the election of its candidate in the mayor’s position?
– I don’t think it’s the appropriate time to speak of that, I already said that if the elections are fair the congress will win because it has all the real opportunities to win the elections. Certainly the congress will struggle to prevent violations in order to protect its victory.