ZHARANGUTYUN STILL UNDECIDED

YEREVAN, JANUARY 31, ARMENPRESS: A parliament member from the opposition Zharangutyun (Heritage) party said it will hardly urge its supporters to support a concrete presidential candidate in the February 19 poll.

Larissa Alaverdian, Armenia’s first ombudswoman, said her party’s governing board was still examining the election manifestoes of all nine candidates and may later say which of them is closer to its own approaches and stance.

Before this is said the party, according to Mrs. Alaverdian, will side with all those candidates who will need its support, more likely the opposition candidates, “ because they reflect the weak wing of the political field.”

She then referred to the lack of political culture in this country, complaining that this election campaign is also far from being civilized.

Zharangutyun is one of only two opposition parties represented in Armenia’s parliament. Its leader, U.S.-born Raffi Hovhanesian, was denied registration as a presidential candidate because he does not meet a residential qualification.

Larissa Alaverdian denied rumors that Raffi Hovhanesian was offered Yerevan mayor post complaining also that her party is not perceived by public at large as a new apportion force.

Earlier this month Raffi Hovhanesian indicated that he and his Zharangutyun party will not endorse any of prime minister Serzh Sarkisian’s four main election challengers before the first round of voting slated for February 19.

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LATEST GALLUP POLL SAYS PRIME MINISTER SARKISIAN ENJOYS 43 PERCENT VOTER SUPPORT

YEREVAN, JANUARY 31, ARMENPRESS: If Armenian presidential election were held next Sunday 43 percent of voters would cast their ballots in favor of prime minister Serzh Sarkisian, according to findings of a latest public opinion poll commissioned by the Gallup Organization.

Compared with the previous poll, conducted last December, Serzh Sarkisian has won over an extra 8 percent of popular support.

A former parliament chairman Arthur Baghdasarian, nominated by his opposition Country of Law party, would come second with 11 percent of votes and Artashes Geghamian, head of the National Unity, would come third garnering 6 percent of all votes.

The amount of popular support to other presidential candidates, as found by the poll is not known yet as none of them made public any relevant figure.

The poll also asked 1,200 randomly selected respondents to say what they think about the country’s development. Forty-nine percent are sure that the country is on the right track, but a sizeable 43 percent said it was on the wrong one.

Forty-five percent think the country’s economy is developing while 17 percent do not think so. The poll ahs found also some 80 percent of eligible voters are expected to go to polling stations on February 19 to elect their new president.

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