That there would be mass demonstrations immediately after the presidential election held last week in Armenia was known long ago. Many observers also figured on yet another attempt by the radical opposition to stage a colored revolution of the type seen in Georgia and Ukraine. However, few expected it to succeed, but a week after the 19 February vote, the situation is now gearing up for what might be serious confrontation between opposition supporters and the authorities.
At the heart of the post-election dispute lies the issue of succession to the incumbent and outgoing president, Robert Kocharian, who is unable to run for a third term in office under the constitution. Indeed, the 19 February presidential election was seen by most critics of the government as merely a formality for Kocharian to pass on power to his trusted lieutenant, prime minister Serge Sargsyan.
The radical opposition put its hopes on the return of Armenia's first president, Levon Ter-Petrossian.
However, with many such as The Armenian Observer believing that Sargsyan would be unable to pass the 50 percent + 1 threshold to win outright on election day, a second round was expected by most independent observers. Analysts and journalists alike were all convinced of that eventuality.
I still see Serzh Sargsyan as the front runner - he might have close to 35% of voter sympathy. […] I have a feeling, that excellent PR and aggressive campaigning finally did it - and Levon Ter-Petrossian now has perhaps 20% of vote. […]
But while most polling stations were reported as calm, albeit with international observers reporting “bad” or “very bad” problems with the vote and count in 16 percent of polling stations, civil society received many complaints of violence, intimidation and ballot box stuffing on polling day. Working in the newsroom of Internews, The Armenian Observer received many such complaints himself.
[…] Complaints and information on various violations kept pouring in. The situation was apparently several times worse in the Regions. Our journalists visited several sites of violations and noted the boldness with which those were being carried out: ballots stuff, voters intimidated, journalists hindered from their work. Reports […] give me enough background to state, that the authorities most coldheartedly raped the concept of free and fair elections and might as well get away with it.
It wasn't long before videos of ballot box stuffing and other disturbances soon found their way on the Internet. Faced with a generally positive verdict on the conduct and outcome of the election by international observers, however, it was no wonder that the final results did not change much by the time they were confirmed at the weekend.
Of course, the final results — 53 percent to Sargsyan and 21 percent to Ter-Petrossian — didn't surprise most election observers. Even on the day of voting, The Armenia Blog wasn't expecting the presidential election to be fair.
Ah yes, today is the day where corruption, blind nationalism, and fraud all come together in the form of Armenia's Presidential Election! Who will win? Who will lose? One thing's for certain, this is not going to be a demonstration of democracy and whoever is elected will first and foremost get himself rich, then those near him, and whatever is left will be spread among the lower individuals in power.
The blog later commented on the post-election mass protests.
It seems tens of thousands of people unhappy with the results of the election have decided to take to the streets in protest. It appears that this minority isn't happy with the fact that Serge Sarkisian received the majority of the votes in a landslide election or that Russia and the OSCE have approved of the election and its results. […]
All of which didn't really concern the radical opposition much. Since the day after the 19 February presidential election, protests were being staged daily in the Armenian capital, Yerevan, and pulled large crowds averaging about 30,000 in terms of attendance. On 21 February, Ter-Petrossian's supporters announced round the clock demonstrations which included occupying Yerevan's Liberty Square. The Armenian Observer spent a night with demonstrators.
…and all that time I couldn’t help feeling guilty and responsible for everything that’s happening now. We all are responsible, aren’t we? But some are brave enough to stand up and fight, some, like me - look for excuses in not liking Levon or supporting Vahan - and some openly admit they are being raped by Serzh, and they even like it.
[…] Anyways - I’m not here for Levon. I’m here, because I deeply sympathize with these people. I always feel emotionally attached to people who sincerely believe in their cause. And I feel guilty for not supporting Levon - but, I just can’t! I dislike him. I don’t think he has ever done anything right! […]
Now I just really want to sleep. What was I doing out there all night anyway?
Such demonstrations are not new to Armenia. However, what has made the past week's turn of events somewhat different is the consistency by which that part of the opposition led by Ter-Petrossian has managed to gather tens of thousands of people on a daily basis in Yerevan's Liberty Square.
Unzipped reports that several officials and diplomats, albeit those mainly linked to the former president, either joined protesters or resigned their positions in a show of solidarity.
Four senior Armenian diplomats […] have resigned in protest of the conduct of presidential election and in support of opposition movement led by the first president of Armenia Levon Ter-Petrosyan. This information has just been confirmed by Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Ruben Shugaryan was Armenia's first president Levon Ter-Petrosyan's press-secretary in 1992-1993, before (1991-1992) he was Ter-Petrosyan's aide.
Regardless of conflicting news of support by some high-rank officials in government, judiciary, military etc (some of them confirmed, others - not), it is clear that Levon Ter-Petrosyan has loyal group of supporters in governmental structures, who even after 10 years of him not being in power, retained their loyalty [and] joined the protest movement which is evolving to become a movement for democracy.
Moreover, to date there has been no attempt by the authorities to violently disperse protesters and that's even though they have simultaneously held marches through the city center which have disrupted traffic and have not been sanctioned by the municipality. More significantly perhaps, faced with a lack of coverage by the mainly government-controlled broadcast media, the marches were a powerful tool in conveying a message on the streets.
[…] one foreign correspondent at yesterday’s march by a few thousand female supporters of former president Levon Ter-Petrossian remarked that the move was a smart one. It was perfect for foreign news, he said. Another Western journalist agreed, specifically pointing out that riot police are less prone to violent suppression of such rallies when there are young women present.
[…]
Ostensibly, the march was to protest the lack of coverage of Ter-Petrossian’s protest rallies by Armenian Public Radio and Television, but to be honest, the reason wasn’t important. What was is that Ter-Petrossian’s team managed to score a publicity coup by giving both local and foreign media exactly what they needed. It was also a way to highlight to society that his movement, regardless of its real size, has diverse support.
Ter-Petrossian, an academic who rose to power riding high on dissent within Soviet Armenia at the end of the 1980s, is also a skilled orator and considered a master at exploiting such situations. If anyone possesses the ability to destabilize the situation in even the most authoritarian of environments, it's him.
[…] Just watching him gesticulate and promise everything to the crowd is quite different than being present at a speech by the prime minister and president-elect, Serge Sargsyan. When people say that Ter-Petrossian has the ability to mobilize and retain the interest of his supporters with his presence, it’s true.
The rallies, such as one staged today, have encouraged many of Ter-Petrossian's supporters, and especially those now living outside of the country. Even though more and more key allies of the former president are being rounded up in swoops staged by masked National Security Service (NSS) agents, their mood is optimistic. One of them is Artmika at Unzipped.
Never before (in a decade or so) Yerevan saw such a big rally and such a huge protest against falsified elections, in support of their right to vote and the chance for democracy in Armenia. […] Ongoing arrests and detentions of a number of opposition supporters did not manage to intimidate people. Quite the contrary. […]
[…]
Whether current ruling regime will eventually manage to break down these protests, remains to be seen. They can only do it by imposing Stalinist methods (they already started - arrests, Bolshevik style propaganda…).
The fact that they lost already is out of question.
Archuk's Blog is a little more reserved and and says that reliable information is scarce.
Last few days I've been trying to figure things out before writing anything, because the information coming from Armenia is so contradicting, it's impossible to say what's true and what is not. My own friends in Armenia have divided in two camps, each one of them saying that are definitely going to come out victorious.
In a sense, The Armenian Observer agrees, but says that if Ter-Petrossian's demonstrations turn into a genuine pro-democracy movement, events can hardly be criticized. As a result, the blogger concludes, perhaps its now time for every Armenian citizen to take sides.
There is a lot of confusion in Armenia today. Information and misinformation flows follow each other – it is becoming harder to distinguish truth from lies. Protests continue in Yerevan’s Freedom Square, where opposition candidate, First President of Armenia Levon Ter-Petrossian’s supporters demand recognition of their candidate’s victory, although there was no objective indication throughout the electoral process, that Ter-Petrossian’s claims are true.
[…]
A very large part of voters, who are fed up with the incumbent authorities […] are still not ready to support Ter-Petrossian either, but would otherwise support anything that is an expression of opposition to the current regime and condemnation of election fraud. […] In this respect, I guess it would have been a wiser move, if Ter-Petrossian stopped claiming his dubious victory, and instead demanded justice and new elections – I mean – who can be against justice, even if calls to restore it come from a controversial figure like Ter-Petrossian?
[…]
Everything indicates, that as the opposition protests continue, undecided people are faced with the challenge to make a choice, and join one of the two opposing sides. It is becoming exceedingly hard to stay indifferent. In fact, it can no longer be justified.
A week after the 19 February presidential election in Armenia, that appears to be the situation with Ter-Petrossian hoping to attract the greater part of society, fed up as it is with high levels of corruption despite record economic growth, to his rallies. Meanwhile, as both the opposition and government apply pressure on officials to side with them, the scenario of post-election revolution in Armenia looks closer than its ever been.
However, when and how this will end is still not yet known. For now, the advantage appears to lie with Ter-Petrossian even though the international community and media does not appear to support his attempt at post-election regime change. On the other hand, bloggers such as The Armenian Observer still fear that it might all end in violence with a state of emergency being declared in the country.
Even so, the blog casts doubts on the ability of the authorities to control the situation later.
People have awakened, and Serzh Sargsyan, even if he manages to tackle this somehow, will never be a president with real power, authority and legitimacy. Even if Ter-Petrossian doesn’t become president (and I still see his chances as rather vague), he has already won.
Marilisa Lorusso's Blog calmly assesses the situation and says that how post-election events play out is not yet certain.
[…] It’s hard to say that in the last 10 years Ter-Petrosyan made the general public regret too much that he was no longer the President, and that a overwhelming majority of population is ready to follow him in his “struggle till the end”. […] Those who backed his run stand by him, but it’s hard to foresee, with international recognition of acceptably free and fair elections, if such a strategy can lead to a stroke, as he seems to expect.
But, as the first president and radical opposition leader appeals to the Constitutional Court, and as the authorities show signs of resorting to more draconian methods to stop opposition protests, some observers expect this week to shed light on what the eventual outcome might be. Interestingly, unlike past elections in Armenia, that will undoubtedly be first discussed on the Internet.
Photos: © Onnik Krikorian / Oneworld Multimedia 2007-8
Hyejin KimLatest of 150 posts
Daniel DuendeLatest of 23 posts
George SunLatest of 7 posts
Fahad AlbutairiLatest of 9 posts
the choise between Bad and the worst !?
I would vote for Levon Ter-Petrosyan if he were a democrat! There is a difference between building a “democracy, rule of law and order “than take revenge by every means!
This election had many short comings but still people had real choice /alternatives in Armenia and all candidates had access to media which one can not say about election in Russia and other CIS countries!
Unfortunately, Levon Ter-Petrosyan is taking of “fair election” but in reality he is after revenge and has declared “war” still in Sept. 2007. The election program of Ter- Pertosyan was full of ate and just throwing stones almost to every body. MR: Ter- Petrosyan has many times declared to other candidates: who ever is not ready to join im and support his candidacy is a”traitor” . Only an undemocratic politician , selfish and arrogant person can act in such way.
One shouldn’t forget that e was the godfather of falsification of elections in the past.
Levon Ter-Petrosyan and extremist around him like to provoke the authorities to use force in this case Levon Ter-Petrosyan will become an hero and people will forget Ter-Petrosyan´s wrong doings in 1990`s . This is the goal of Levon Ter-Petrosyan
Paikar paikar minchev verj!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
[…] full post is available on Global Voices Online. […] Complaints and information on various violations kept pouring in. The situation was […]
[…] full post is available on Global Voices Online. Posted by Onnik @ 2:01 am. Filed under: Armenia, Democracy, Politics, Blogging, Caucasus, […]
Onnik - thank you for the excellent post, and even more so - for the brilliant photos!
very good text
very good pictures
I am from Switzerland and watch it from here. It is very obvious that the votes were cheated. It’s a shame for me as a Swiss that the OSCE is calling this votes to be fair. For what we pay that organisation? Do they think it’s enought to stand for 20 minutes in a voting office to check if anything is done legal?
I hear very great stuff about the demonstrations. The students clean up the place every night. If someone is loosing something like money bag or mobile, then the whole crowd is helping him. People from everywhere bring food. Levon asked the 11 men to stop their “hunger-not-eat-strike” because he was scarried for their health. All good signs for something really special is going on.
So in Armenia something very special is happening in the moment - a hope is growing, people start to believe. I think it is a movement that we even miss in our well organized countries. When we had the last time something like that in Switzerland? I hope out of this people-movement will follow something really positive - I know thats just a utopic wish, but why not to hope? I hope for international solidarity with the peaculful demonstrators and the politicians should stop to gratulate serge sarkissian.
@Dave B.,
The authorities are not responsible , when the opposition was not abele to put a single candidate. Levon Ter-Petrosyan destroyed the chance of other oppositional candidates… Levon Ter-Petrosyan should act like a responsible politician and accept his defeat instead trying to divide the Army , Society …!
Levon Ter-Petrosyan had his chance, He had failed ! If such a political gains 21% it means there is no political culture in Armenian at all .. and Ter-Petrosyan is abusing the situation!
Levon TerPetrosyan likes to become a president by every means, even if he is a president of second Lebanon..!
Something interesting is happening in Armenia: The authorities are more open , show tolerant are in some way more democratic than so called opposition candidate Levon Ter-Petrosyan who is after a civil war!
A compromise solution is needed. CC (Constitutional court ) should declare election valid and close this chapter and in mean time CC should call for fresh parliamentary election in 6 or 12 months in order to create more balance in system!
The last election in Armenia where better than the two last election in US. Only in US the losers didn’t want to harm US with there protest or by disputing the “victory” of Bush!
But the problem is not only election but the lack of political culture in the country. Therefore healthy forces should work to create better atmosphere for elections and cooperation … Politicians better stop talking to each other via media! People are indeed tired of accusations!
Why does Armenia needs so many “one man parties”?
How comes so many candidates exist for presidency while Armenia has about 3.2 Mil population?
Hoe comes out of 9 candidates one is claiming for itself 65% of the votes and throwing with stones who ever disagrees with him ?
Something has change in Armenia This is good when authorities show so strong nerves. IF Levon Ter-.Petrosyan were the president he would have brought TANKS just after the first demonstration!
If one wants to help his7her homeland wouldn’t put preconditions and demand to be call “president” in order to be able to help his/her people!
Hey Eric, its clear that you are far and dont know nothing!! you dont even have feeling about armenian reality. So please dont talk things u dont know and from your warm room cannot see!! do you know whats going on in armenia now??? do you know that this is more then about Levon! this is national movement against the goverment who is behaving to his people as to stupid slaves!!! dont u see that people are just got enough off that!!! they finally woke up and want to keep their rights and they dont want this kind of street stile currupt LIE anymore!!!!!!!!! And if Levon who was able to woke the mode and hope of people- then bravo to him! Do you know how was passing this election??? how serj and his “team” where scarying, currupting and forcing people??? and why to call this afterwords clean democratic elections??? do you have idea that they puted police with sticks infront of universities to not let students go out!!! do you thing we are sheep???? or that is the free democrat country??? do you know that lot of people who didnt voted for levon (me also) on this day started to join national movement in opera squere just becouz of those things!!! what is that - no one media is saying truth!!! if u watch national TV that have noooothing to do what in reality goin on in streets!!! they just talk dirt and lie durt and lie!!! do u know that yesterday they forced people brought them to serj sargisyans demonstration. look on youtube or a1plus.am its obviouse how that people are not happy to be there!!! So shame on all traitors, egoists and the ones who are dissinforming people and world now!! I hope people (we) will be able to get our rights!!!
[…] Voir à ce sujt l’article […]
Armine +1000
Hey Armine
Levon is juts impudent and abusing the pelage of people for his dirty games! That is way Levon has to exagrate almost everthing
The proble in Hayastan are not the election but first of all the lack of political culture and respect for opponents. Levov´s primitive statements are the best examples !!..
Levon´s election program is and was: to take revenge nothing else! Levon has destroyed the chances of other healthy forces in this election..
I am aware of the reality in Hayatsan so please try to be a bit tolerant while calling for “democracy” (this apples to Levon too) ;-(
and do not make yourself a tool in the hand of Levon and extremist around him, who are after revenge!! Levon should first learn to respect his opponents this is the A and B of democracy and free and fair election
IF LEVON was in a fair , free and a better political culture in Hayasatn interested he wouldn’t start such a primitive and aggressive election campaign still in Set. 2007.
Levon has his own “plan” for oligarchies around him . all ex Ministers around Levon have in this or other way have broken the law in the past. YOU ARE READY TO CLOSE YOUR AYES TO THESE REALITES BUT ME NOT ! EVEN I WOULD NOT VOT FOR SERJIK! BUT BAD IS BETTER THAN THE WORST! LEVON IS THE WORTS THIS MAN HAS NEVER HEARD TO THINK AND THAN OEPN THE MOUNTH.
Democracy for Levon means. Stay 10 years at home that trying to become a president by declaring a war to the ‘authorities’ As if Europeans have build democracy in one or 10 days.
We all like to see a country of rule and low but to achiev this goal . one doesn´t need to destroy what was achieved. Levon 1988 made speeches without having a program or without knowing what he wants know he is holding one stupid speech after another and insulting who ever he dislikes!!! Levon in his last speech even had insulted other nations (e.g Mongols) I have the feeling this man is sick or just mental ill!
There are many democratic elements in Hayastan which is not he case in Russia and CIS countries. SO Levon is the last Armenian in the world whom I would call a “democrat”.
This was Levon´s regime who had opened the door for the immigration because he was not able to solve any social problem beside this some around Levon and Levon´s wife believe: Armenia is to small for 3 mil people!
Levon is the last to call for “fair and free” election because he is the godfather of corruption and falsification of election in Hayasatan !
Dear Armine, I don’t think that we will waste time to condemn people like Eric. None of them for their thoughts haven’t any guiltnessness. The major problem is our journalists` uinproffesionalism.
It’s awful but it is real that Armenia is currently in informational blockade and our authority use all uninformed people against opposition. They never tell that people who are forced by Serj Sarkissyan supporters to take part in his organized “meeting” foster that the same people joined Levon Ter-Petrosyan’s rally.
Currently I vie for Levon Ter-Petrosyan’s favour, though I didn’t vote him…Unfortunatly this time I also was a victim of our “national television campaign” and vote for A. Baghdasaryan,,,,,,who never save his energy to criticise Serge Sarkisyan and now it is told that he is the supporter of Sarkissyan…
Unfortunatly we live one country where even politics are currupted and flattered, and if A. Baghdasaryan Signed such cooalition agreement to S. Sarkissyan, from that moment he was drawn forever,,,
But I beleive that we will live one country where freedom, democracy and indipendence will be prominent characteristics.
I beleive that journalist someday will realize that stimulating injustice and concealing truth will cause nation’s collapse… I hope that this country will be ARMENIA.
[…] փետրվարի 20-ին, շարունակվում են արդեն մի քանի օր, Globalvoicesonline բլոգում Օնիկ Գրիգորյանը գրում […]
this movement is not about LTP, it is awakening of armenian people. it is possible LTP got 25-35% of votes and sargsyan got about that much or little more. but people have seen all injustices during, before and after elections. LTP is a good orator and good leader that can use peoples feelings and thoughts and turn this into a democratic movement, even those that did not vote for him, many of them today protest elections and want justice. it is time for armenian people to fight for their rights and democracy. no one will bring that to them until they fight for it. no matter how will end this struggle at this stage, the result already is that armenians realize that they are in 21 c. and stalinist methods cannot be used to rule the country, to establish monopoly on everything- including information, economy, political and cultural life. this gives a good hope that there will be a change.
@ adear armine
I came back from hayastan one week a go !
i disagree with you any way I am not so emotional i respect your ideas but i assure you if you would read my anonymous articles about hayastan in internet you would understand me better
i have answered your comments in length but my answer were not published…!
the problem in hayastan is first of all lack of political culture and respect for opponents this is the A and B of democracy and free and fair elections!
LTP is free to ask G. Bush for support the same Bush who twice had stolen the victory from his opponents !
there are many strong elements of democracy in hayastan e.g to have reall altrnatives in elections which is not the case in other CIS countries… step by step we s
ould built a true democracy in hayastan witout allowing extrimist to abuse te pelage / problem of people
for me Levon Ter-Petrosyan is not a democart but somebody wäo is after revenge! LTP is responsible for a lot of misdeeds in hayasrtan people should not make out of LTP an hero ,
If LTP were Kocharjan he would bring tanks just in the first day of protests !
@ dear Narek:
If A . Bagdassarian has criticized S. Sarkisyan it doesn’t mean politicians should remain enemies for ever …
Only a true coalition gov. can fight corruption etc . in hayastan healthy political forces should try to create a balance in system!
According to Levon Ter-Petrosyan who ever is not joining him is a “traitor” is this democracy , tolerance and freedom fro you and armine?
you know wstop living in lala land because serg and levon dont care about arminia and distroying our country isnt gonna heip because it dosnt matter who wins because nothings gonna change peoplewho are rich are gonna stay rich and people who are poor unfortunatly will stay poor unless serg and levon and everyone else get off there lazy ass’s and do something about it. i love arminia but im glade im not trere.
politicts is gonna distroy us
Again and again ordinar people are served as an instrument for the “achievment” of social end.
Our president R. Khocharyan is only president for policemen, they served for president, they are prepareing “professional” reports in favour of president, that’s why he visits the police hospital where are only wounded policemen and ordinar people are ignored again. After declaring state emergency Armenia become policeland. Armeneian journalists report only the reportage that are prepared by police state. I am afraid that Armenian people will also start to think as police do.
65. artsagh girl Says:
March 3, 2008 at 12:14 pm
I just found this blog. I notice that there is not a lot of actual information coming out of Yerevan. I too wonder if You Tube has been blocked. I saw a some video footage that is no longer accessible.
I just received a phone call from Yerevan, from a reliable source. This person is a surgeon who was in Karabagh during the fighting and knows the various fedayeen from around Armenia and Karabagh. This person states that on Mashtots street, by the Pag Shuga, a group of soldiers from the Shushi battalion opened fire on the crowd. There was no warning for anyone to disperse. The soldiers simply aimed into the crowd and began to fire. At this time, the crowd was not doing anything. The eyewitness then saw the same soldiers shoot out shop windows. They also set fire to the ambulance this person was using to transport a wounded civilian. Two people were shot next to the eyewitness. Both died. The eyewitness has been operating on wounded since yesterday. All who were shot were shot by Karabagh soldiers. There was no rioting and this is not like LA. It’s like, well, a dictator who is going to remind people that he will keep power at all costs.
I know Robert and Serge. I knew fedayeen. Serge and Robert are not of that class.
66. Hayk Says:
March 3, 2008 at 12:21 pm
Serge and Robert are criminals. On March 1, most of the armored soldiers and specnaz troops were talking on Karabakh dialect. Many people heard, and my brother who was on the street on that they even had had concersation with them. One of those soldiers have asked directions from my brother on Tigran Mets street, some of them who were patrooling on the streets even did not know the roads of Yerevan.
67. artsagh girl Says:
March 3, 2008 at 12:26 pm
OK, so let’s get some more information out here, instead of abstract discussions about the relative merits (or lack thereof) of Levon, Robert and Serge.
68. artsagh girl Says:
March 3, 2008 at 12:36 pm
PS to Hayk:
Re gexaci - the term I learned was kakghkeni — roughly the Armenian equivalent of “country come to town”. There are regions in Armenia (and Karabagh) that had factories or tourism, and the residents were quite sophisticated. Then there are the other parts. One thing to remember is that the tremendous social and economic disruptions of the late 1980’s and early 1990’s (blockade, war, earthquake, dissolution of USSR) shattered the existing social networks in Armenia. With that amount of disruption, for lack of a better term in a short space, one cannot assume that the “best and brightest” will rise to the top. It’s not cream. Rather, the chaos created an environment where any idiot could get rich. Idiots don’t rely on merit- they use force. So the result is a society where idiots with guns are in charge.
Levon Ter-Petrosyan should start thinking of a constructive opposition instead holding one hate speech after another! Id he is really loves Armenia and is not acting in the name of foraging governments by abusing the pelage of people!
One shouldn’t be afraid of LTP (even if he ahs declare a war) but one should be afraid of extremist around LTP. because I have never hear a constructive critic from LTP!. Producing hate on Sejik or hate on Kocharjan and this and that is not a election program with them one can solve problems!
Unfortunately ,RFE/Radi Liberty is spreading a lot of one side news about the political situation in Armenia. This is sad when the media in Armenia is partial free Armenian journalist have to work for “Armenianberrty” in order to earn their money!
I am upset on the government. in Armenia because they had to create a “media commission” long ago and engage all healthy political forces to work to create free media and a healthy atmosphere e for free and fair election
If I am not mistaken LTP´s son has a big house with golf place in France? where did he got this money? LTP should be asked to leave Armenia if he is not ready of dialog and a healty and constructive opposition .
Armenian people will never think like police does. This is not the end i am sure. The nation was awaken and that process cannot be pushed back. Very many young people were on the FREEDOM squere and participated in rallies. None of them was there for getting any posts and few of them were particularly for Mr. Ter-Petrosyan. They are already CITIZENS and they know their rights and responsibilities. Their right were neglected and they having no other means went to the streets in order to be heard. I think all that is about democracy. If the nation grew to that level, then it would happen sometime, it could be another leader and not Levon Ter-Petrosyan. Protests were very organized and in the framework of laws. I think no excuse can be for the authrities and their actions.
I am praud of my nation and people who were ready to give their lives for the rights and freedoms to be realised in Armenia. I am extremly sad for those killed. I think what happened was the worst mistake of the current authorities and people will never forget that. This authority will never be legitimate even if it stays.
[…] was used almost constantly by nearly all candidates contesting the vote, and in the past week it became obvious that it was only a matter of time before our worst fears would be […]
[…] the former president, Levon Ter-Petrossian, broke out on the streets of the capital following the disputed 19 February presidential election in the country, access to the media has been severely restricted. According to presidential decree, […]
[…] the former president, Levon Ter-Petrossian, broke out on the streets of the capital following the disputed 19 February presidential election, access to the media has been severely restricted. According to presidential decree, local media […]
[…] Левон Тер-Петросијан на улиците на главниот град по оспорените претседателски избори на 19 февруари, пристапот до медиумите беше во голем степен […]
I see how difficult to say the truth …
o left armenia in 1997, after i have lost my brothers, husband and many dear people.
now i live and work in uzbekistan, thanks to my Lord Jesus Christ.
you probably have forgotten, hey you are chtistioans or not?!
everything we have that is the result of being blind and deaf to the Word of God.
Only i can say, open the Astvacashunch, you will get the answer.if you really want to be children od God. you have a Great Seviour who is Jesus Christ.
The is nothing new under the sun!!!!
Let God bless you all dear sisters and brothers.
My heart still have place for you all, let’s pray to the Lord Jesus Christ, asking Him to forgive our sins.
Let the peace of Jesus Christ be in your hearts.
it is me again ,
i have my older brother in yerevan , but nothing from him during these two months, even we can not find any information i have a hope, that he is safe.
please young people do not sink into politic, be far from it, it is a longlast game…
[…] the former president, Levon Ter-Petrossian, broke out on the streets of the capital following the disputed 19 February presidential election, access to the media has been severely restricted. According to presidential decree, local media […]
[…] the commemoration took on a more political tone in Armenia itself. Following the recent and disputed 19 February presidential election, the radical opposition led by former president, Levon Ter-Petrossian, held their own march where […]