Hayrikyan urged two other contenders to team up

YEREVAN, February 11. /ARKA/. Presidential contender, leader of National Self-Determination party Paruyr Hayrikyan setn an open letter to candidates Hrant Bagratyan and Raffi Hovannisian Saturday urging them to team up and run a joint candidate.

Hayrikyan said in his letter that if the vote is put off for 14 days, they would be able to unite on one platform and present it to people within ten days. 

“Information appeared in the press saying that there was an intention to team up, but it did not work. My phone calls are not responded. Both Raffi and Hrant are busy. Reliable surveys show that if three run a joint candidate, then Serzh will have 30% of the votes against their 67-69%. I would like you to see these figures and check out this wonder together”, Hayrikyan wrote on his Facebook page. 

Armenian presidential elections are scheduled for February 18. Eight nominees are running for president: current president Serzh Sargsyan, former prime minister and leader of Freedom party Hrant Bagratyan, former foreign minister and head of Heritage party Raffi Hovhannisyan, famous Soviet dissident and leader of National Self-Determination party Paruyr Hayrikyan, ex foreign minister of Karabakh Arman Melikyan, political scientist and head of Radio Hay Andrias Ghukasyan, philologist Vardan Sedrakyan and leader of National Consent party Aram Harutinyan. -0-