Another Armenian presidential candidate quits the race
10.01.2013,
13:40
The leader of “Armenian-Russian public union” Robert Aharonyan announced Thursday on quitting Armenia’s presidential election race, Novosti-Armenia reports.
YEREVAN, January 10. /ARKA/. The leader of “Armenian-Russian public union” Robert Aharonyan announced Thursday on quitting Armenia’s presidential election race, Novosti-Armenia reports.
He submitted his application to the Central Electoral Commission, however failed to pay an 8-million-dram election pledge (nearly $20,000). On Tuesday, the Commission granted another 48 hours to the applicants to pay the pledge.
However, on Thursday Aharonyan said he refused from running for president of Armenia as he lack the funds.
Yesterday the president of Armenian Combat Karate Kobudo National Federation Taron Abrahamyan, and Prosperous Armenia party member Ruben Ayvazyan announced on the analogical decision.
The presidential elections of Armenia will be held on 18 February at 1988 polling stations of 41 electoral districts.
Fifteen citizens submitted their documents to the Central Electoral Commission of Armenia to register as presidential candidates.
The day of the application deadline was last Friday, 6 p.m. local time (the same as Moscow time). The registration process opened January 4 and will end on January 14. The election campaign is to be kicked off on January 21 and end on February 16, 24:00 (12 a.m.).
The incumbent president, Serzh Sargsyan, is the main favorite in the upcoming presidential race. The ruling Republican Party of Armenia officially nominated Sargsyan on December 15. The motto of the incumbent’s election campaign is “Towards secure Armenia.”
Sargsyan’s opponents will be the former prime minister of Armenia and Freedom party leader Hrant Bagratyan, the former foreign minister and Heritage party leader Raffi Hovhannisian, the famous dissident in the Soviet times, Union for National self-determination party leader Paruyr Hayrikyan.
Narine Mkrtchyan, the chief of the National press club, the professor at Armenian State Pedagogical University after Khachatur Abovyan, is the first woman candidate to join the race.
The documents were also submitted by the leader of National Consent party Aram Harutyunyan, former foreign minister of Karabakh Arman Meliqyan, political scientist Andrias Ghukasyan, specialist in epos Vardan Sedrakyan, Kashatagh NGO chairman Robert Simonyan, pensioner Pavlik Sargsyan, unemployed Mher Hayrapetyan. -0-
