Appeal from Veteran Opposition Politician

A1 Plus reports that veteran opposition politician and presidential candidate, Vazgen Manukian, has issued a statement on the conduct of the 19 February presidential election in Armenia and the post-election environment. Manukian is quoted as expressing concern about the undemocratic nature of both the present government and the radical opposition led by former president Levon Ter-Petrossian.

The veteran politician concludes that both the present and previous authorities are just two sides of the same coin. Interestingly, it was only Ter-Petrossian who has ever used the military against the people in the aftermath of the 1996 presidential election contested by Manukian and which many observers believe was falsified.

As of the election of February 19, 2008, the anti-democratic system established still in 1995 held a recurrent election with innumerable breaches and irregularities which are already familiar to us (the volume of which we are studying). The founders of this vicious system have waged a relentless struggle against those who use that system. The struggle has drawn thousands of honest people who sincerely believe that the struggle is led for the future well-being of the country.

In reality, I think the initiators are determined to come to power on the surge of hatred. Neither our state nor our people will benefit from this struggle. I appeal to everyone who long for freedom and justice not to get disappointed with the outcome of the vote and election fraud. Our struggle is in future, and we are full of determination to redirect the consciousness of the society towards real national and universal values in order to build up new Armenia based on democratic principles.