A candidate for president of Armenia recommends quitting the race to all candidates but incumbent president

YEREVAN, January 11. /ARKA/. One of Armenia’s presidential candidates, political scientist Andrias Ghukasyan, addressed his open letter to all election racers, except for incumbent Serzh Sargsyan,  to withdraw and form a single civil front Ghukasyan recommends to quit the race till 15 January and create a new political reality in Armenia.

“I recommend to withdraw from the race planned and pre-determined by the ruling Republican party of Armenia and to initiate the single civil movement in favor of fundamental changes. I believe  the civil movement against criminal-oligarchic system coordinated by Paruyr Hayrikyan, Raffi Hovhannisian and Hrant Bagratyan will be successful. I also believe giving an appropriate assessment to the situation, the other presidential candidates will   put the national interest above their personal one,” Ghukasyan said in the letter.

“Today we have a right to form a new political agenda for Armenia,” according to the candidate.

“The society expects us to make some practical steps and not to get involved into the useless race for the so-called second place,” he said in a letter.

On Friday, the commission completed accepting documents and on January 14 it will complete the registration of candidates. Election campaigns will be launched on January 21 and will be wrapped up on February 16. The polling day is February 18.

Eight candidates are registered for the elections: Serzh Sargsyan, the Armenian president in office; Hrant Bagratyan, a former prime minister and the leader of Freedom party; Raffi Hovhannisian, a former foreign minister and the leader of Zharangutiun (Heritage) party; Paruyr Hayrikyan, a prominent Soviet-era dissident and the head of the National Self-Determination Party; Arman Melikyan, a former foreign minister of Nagorno-Karabakh Republic; Andrias Ghukasyan, a political analyst; Vardan Sedrakyan, a specialist in epics, and Aram Harutyunyan, leader of National Consent party. -0-

13:22 11.01.2013