Leader of the Heritage Party Raffi Ovannisyan got about 37% of the vote at the recent presidential polls in Armenia and requested the police to provide additional security for him. His request was motivated by numerous reports about attacks on officials of candidates and journalists. The police have started 24/7 patrolling of his house.
According to reports on February 18, violations of electoral rules were massive. Ovannisyan was ahead of Sargsyan even in Shirak Province.
Supporters of Ovannisyan plan protests at Freedom Square in the center of Yerevan at 5.00 pm today. He became the main opposition force after withdrawal of the Armenian National Congress, Dashnaktsutyun and prosperous Armenia from the elections.
The CIS and OSCE recognize the victory of President Serzh Sargsyan at the elections.
Alexander Skakov, coordinator of the working group of the Center for Studies of the Caucasus and Central Asia of the Institute of Oriental Studies of the RAS, told Vestnik Kavkaza that the elections were peaceful.
Alexey Vlasov, Editor-in-Chief of Vestnik Kavkaza, Executive Director of the North-South Center for Political Analysis, predicts no major changes in the domestic or foreign policy after the elections. He assumes that the main intrigue is the success of Yerevan in European integration and realization of the multi-vector policy. The only path of Armenia in the security field is cooperation with Russia, Vlasov says.
Regarding socio-economic cooperation, the efforts to improve ties with Brussels are obvious, the expert notes.
Explaining the withdrawal of some opposition leaders from the elections, Vlasov believes that the decision to quit the elections of Gagik Tsarukyan, leader of the Prosperous Armenia Party, was a business decision. The expert adds that the candidate could have gained many political dividends. Regarding first Armenian President Levon Ter-Petrosyan, leader of the Armenian National Congress, Vlasov says that the candidate probably got tired and lost his old drive.
