Published since 1951
Published on January 25, 2008
SARKISIAN RESPONDS TO ‘MALICIOUS’ TER-PETROSIAN ATTACKS
- Prime Minister Serzh Sarkisian pledged to turn Armenia into a “brilliant country” and responded to intensifying verbal attacks from former President Levon Ter-Petrosian as he took his election campaign to Yerevan on Friday. Sarkisian spent a large part of his speech at a campaign rally in the city’s northern Nor Nork suburb condemning the “malicious” discourse of his most bitter opposition challenger. “But I am asking you not to succumb to provocations, not to respond to malice with malice because our aim is not just to garner many votes,” he told several hundred people who gathered in front of a local church. “Our aim is to move Armenia forward after the elections … It is never possible to do good things with malice.” Although Sarkisian did not mention Ter-Petrosian by name, the remarks were a clear response to the ex-president’s toughening anti-government rhetoric. Campaigning in the central Kotayk region on Thursday, Ter-Petrosian compared the prime minister to Lavrenti Beria, Joseph Stalin’s notorious security chief, and alleged that Sarkisian will provoke another war with Azerbaijan if wins the upcoming presidential election. He also implicitly accused Sarkisian and outgoing President Robert Kocharian of masterminding the 1999 terrorist attack on the Armenian parliament. Sarkisian, who prayed in the church before addressing the crowd, portrayed such allegations as a sign of growing “panic” reigning in the Ter-Petrosian camp. He also responded to Ter-Petrosian’s claims that he is “begging” Armenians to vote for him. “I am never averse to appealing to my people and telling them that I need their votes,” said Sarkisian. “Others may say this is vote begging. Of course, I ask [for votes.] I don’t find it offensive to ask my people.” “One must not turn their own ambitions into a way of life. It is inadmissible to act against the country’s interests for the sake of false personal authority,” he added. In what has become a pattern, Sarkisian’s speech came mid-way through a concert by Armenian pop starts supporting his presidential bid, and there were no other political figures speaking at the gathering. And as was the case in Sarkisian’s previous campaign events, many in the crowd were medical workers, school and kindergarten teachers and other public sector employees as well as scores of schoolchildren. Some of them held up Sarkisian’s campaign posters. The Armenian premier assured them that he will ensure a significant rise in living standards if he becomes the country’s next president. “I assure you that Armenia will be a brilliant country,” he said. “There are all the grounds to assert that we will live in a totally different country five years later.” Not everyone was convinced, though. “I will make up my mind before February 19,” said one woman. “It’s hard to say which candidate is the best and which candidate is the worst,” said another participant of the rally. “I don’t know who I will vote for.” (Photolur photo)
- By Ruzanna Stepanian
Headlines for January 25, 2008
SARKISIAN RESPONDS TO ‘MALICIOUS’ TER-PETROSIAN ATTACKS
By Ruzanna StepanianPrime Minister Serzh Sarkisian pledged to turn Armenia into a “brilliant country” and responded to intensifying verbal attacks from former President Levon Ter-Petrosian as he took his election campaign ...HOVANNISIAN CEDES ELECTION COMMISSION SEATS TO OPPOSITION CANDIDATES
By Anna Saghabalian
Opposition leader Raffi Hovannisian has confirmed through aides his decision to cede hundreds of seats in election commissions reserved for his Zharangutyun (Heritage) party to allies of opposition presidential ...AZERBAIJAN REPATRIATES ARMENIAN SOLDIER
By Hovannes ShoghikianAzerbaijan repatriated on Friday an Armenian soldier who was taken prisoner by Azerbaijani forces last August after deserting from his army unit deployed in Nagorno-Karabakh. Private Hambartsum Asatrian ...
Most read news (last 7 days)
SARKISIAN RESPONDS TO ‘MALICIOUS’ TER-PETROSIAN ATTACKS
By Ruzanna StepanianTHOUSANDS AGAIN RALLY FOR TER-PETROSIAN
By Emil DanielyanHOVANNISIAN CEDES ELECTION COMMISSION SEATS TO OPPOSITION CANDIDATES
By Anna SaghabalianTER-PETROSIAN TOUGHENS ANTI-GOVERNMENT RHETORIC
By Emil DanielyanKOCHARIAN HINTS AT FIRST-ROUND SARKISIAN WIN
By Emil Danielyan and Ruzanna StepanianCANDIDATES KICK OFF ARMENIAN PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN
By Astghik Bedevian, Ruzanna Khachatrian, Ruben Meloyan and Anna SaghabalianHOVANNISIAN OPTS FOR ELECTION NEUTRALITY
By Astghik BedevianU.S. DROPS PLANS FOR FIRST-EVER EXIT POLL IN ARMENIA
By Emil DanielyanPROSECUTORS PLEDGE ‘SWIFT’ ACTION ON FRAUD REPORTS
By Karine Kalantarian and Astghik BedevianSARKISIAN VOWS INCREASED PROSPERITY ON FIRST CAMPAIGN TRIP
By Ruzanna Stepanian
© AUA
Today in Armenian history- 1855 The Patriarch of Constantinople formally forbids the use of Roosseenian's "Orthology" and "Calendar" in Armenian schools. He condemned their style and ordered Armenian writers to bring the contemporary language closer to the "ancestor's true language".
- 1891 Birth of mathematician and civil-engineer, professor Ashot Ter-Mkrtchyan in Shooshee (Artsakh).
Forum most active discussions
ARMENIAN NEWS
INTERACTIVE NEWS
INFORMATION
MY ARMTOWN
How to quit smoking?
How to write in Armenian on Windows XP?
All materials published on this website are taken from open sources and are copyrighted by their respective owners. You cannot reproduce or copy any materials published on armtown.com without written consent of original copyright holder. If you want to remove any material, please send us an email with proof of ownership/copyright and your material will be removed immediately. All materials published for information purposes only.