Eight candidates registered for Armenian presidential election

YEREVAN, January 10. /ARKA/. Seven of the 15 citizens who have applied to the Central Electoral Commission for registration for presidential election remain out of the presidential race, since they have failed to pay AMD 8 million (about $20,000) necessary for registration.  

They are Robert Simonyan, chairman of Kashtakh NGO; Pavlik Sargsyan, a pensioner; Narina Mkrtchyan, chair of the National Press Club; Mher Hayrapetyan, an unemployed; Robert Aharonyan, leader of Armenian-Russian NGO; Taron Abrahamyan, president of Armenian Combat Karate Kobudo National Federation, and Ruben Ayvazyan, a lawyer and a member of Prosperous Armenia party.  

Earlier, Aharonyan, Abrahamyan and Ayvazyan withdrew from the race. 

Under the Electoral Code, any candidate ought to submit data about a proxy, electoral pledge pay slip, confirmation of his/her ten-year residency in Armenia and a copy of identity document.  

If applicant fails to submit all the mentioned papers, he/she is denied registration by the electoral commission.  

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 will compete for presidency.   

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. -0-