YEREVAN -- A senior member of Armenia's ruling party has downplayed the possibility of early elections, which have been called for by the opposition, RFE/RL's Armenian Service reports.
Razmik Zohrabian, deputy head of the Republican Party of Armenia (HHK), told a press conference today that early elections were out of the question.
"Only two years remain before the [regularly scheduled] elections and [the opposition] badly needs to be getting ready for these elections -- to be making some noise, staging rallies, in short starting an early campaign," Zohrabian said.
Zohrabian said the outcomes of the most recent local elections in some regions of Armenia reassured his party of its strong chances to win in the next parliamentary elections slated for 2012.
The HHK currently holds 63 seats and enjoys the support of five nonaligned lawmakers in the 131-seat National Assembly.
In the current coalition government, the HHK shares power with two minority parties, Prosperous Armenia and Orinats Yerkir (Law-Based State).
Zohrabian also reaffirmed that Armenia's current president and leader of the HHK, Serzh Sarkisian, would be the party's candidate in the next presidential election, planned for 2013. He said Sarkisian had "no serious rival" at the moment.
Razmik Zohrabian, deputy head of the Republican Party of Armenia (HHK), told a press conference today that early elections were out of the question.
"Only two years remain before the [regularly scheduled] elections and [the opposition] badly needs to be getting ready for these elections -- to be making some noise, staging rallies, in short starting an early campaign," Zohrabian said.
Zohrabian said the outcomes of the most recent local elections in some regions of Armenia reassured his party of its strong chances to win in the next parliamentary elections slated for 2012.
The HHK currently holds 63 seats and enjoys the support of five nonaligned lawmakers in the 131-seat National Assembly.
In the current coalition government, the HHK shares power with two minority parties, Prosperous Armenia and Orinats Yerkir (Law-Based State).
Zohrabian also reaffirmed that Armenia's current president and leader of the HHK, Serzh Sarkisian, would be the party's candidate in the next presidential election, planned for 2013. He said Sarkisian had "no serious rival" at the moment.
