The Armenian National Congress has accepted an offer to hold
negotiations with the authorities, RIA Novosti reports.
The chairman of the Armenian Parliament, Ovik Abramyan, invited the
congress on Saturday to hold talks on July 18.
A working group was formed by coalition parties from David Arutyun and
Gagik Minasyan (Republican Party), Nair Zograbyan and Vardan
Bostanzhyan (Prosperous Armenia), Mger Shakhgeldyan and Khachik
Arutyunyan (Orinats Erkir). They invited the congress to the minor
hall of the Public Council on July 18 at 16:00.
The Armenian National Congress was formed on August 1, 2008. It
consists of at least 20 political parties and organizations. It is
calling for early presidential and parliamentary polls.
Levon Ter-Petrosyan, leader of the ANC and Armenia's first president,
said that on June 30 the government needs to clarify the format of
dialogue until September.
Ter-Petrosyan expressed readiness for dialogue on May 31 after
fulfilment of the opposition's three demands: release of political
prisoners of the March 1 case, the right to protests on Freedom Square
and an independent commission to investigate the tragic events of
March 1, 2008.
Ter-Petrosyan lost presidential elections to Serzh Sargsyan on
February 19, 2008. He held protests in the center of Yerevan on
February 20, 2008. The protests turned into mass disorders on March
1-2, 2008. Dozens were killed and over 200 injured.
The ANC formed a delegation of 5 to hold a dialogue on June 2, 2011,
headed by the coordinator of the congress, Levon Zurabyan.
Armenia will hold parliamentary polls in May 2012 and a presidential
election in February 2013.
Th Prosperous Armenia and Orinats Erkir parties are part of the ruling
coalition, headed by the Republican Party and formed on March 21,
2008. The Republican Party received 65 out of 131 mandates at the
elections on May 12, 2007. Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan heads the
party. Prosperous Armenia has 24 mandates and is represented by
ministers of healthcare, labour and social affairs, urban planning,
sports and youth affairs and the vice-speaker of parliament. It is
chaired by Gagik Tsarukyan, head of the National Olympic Committee and
the president of Multy Group.
Orinats Erkir was formed in 1997 by the Secretary of National
Security, Artur Bagdasaryan. It has 8 deputies.
