Yesterday an outspoken newspaper editor and opposition figure Nikol Pashinyan currently on trial for his alleged role in last year’s post-election violence has made a bid to contest a parliament seat recently vacated by another prominent oppositionist, district 10 of Yerevan. In this regard the Armenian National Congress issued a statement, which reads, “The ANC considers the only way of overcoming the crisis in the country through the resignation of Serzh Sargsyan and through the conduct of extraordinary parliamentary and presidential elections. According to that, the Congress has made a decision to boycott the majoritarian by-elections and abstain advocating for any of the nominated candidates except for the cases when it would be possible to restore the violated rights of the political prisoners. We are calling the editor-in-chief of the Haykakan Zhamanak daily Nikol Pashinyan put forward his candidature at the electoral district 10. The Congress considers this as an opportunity to struggle for the trampled rights of political detainees. By his nomination it will be possible to broaden our mission of releasing the political prisoners, punish the culprits of March 1 tragic events, as well as restoration of the violated human rights and liberties in the country. The ANC states that it will endorse its nominee Nikol Pashinyan. The ANC will do its best for the sake of victory of Pashinyan. We call on all our supporters and loyalists to be actively involved in this process by making it one of the most important phases of our struggle.” Let us remember that this is the single-mandate constituency that had returned Sukiasyan, a wealthy businessman and prominent supporter of former president Levon Ter-Petrosyan, to the National Assembly during previous legislative polls. Up until yesterday in this district the registered candidates are David Hakobyan from the Marxist party, Tigran Urikhanyan from the Progressive Party of Armenia, Eduard Madatyan, former deputy-minister of communication, Hmayak Hovhanisyan and actor Vova Kostanyan. This is in fact one of the practical steps undertaken by the ANC after the rallies. “It is evident that Nikol has all the chances of victory. But it is equally evident that this victory can be in place only as a result of consistent efforts of the ANC. This is something that the ANC hasn’t done quite well during the recent Mayoral trace of Yerevan on May 31 and during the local race of Kentron community of Yerevan held last year.”
