Authorities haven't given a final response to Armenian National Congress (ANC) opposiiton bloc demand for snap elections in Armenia, according to Armenian National movement (ANM) board chairman.
As Aram Manukyan told a news conference in Yerevan, the coalition's 130-page document on the absence of objective reasons for pre-term elections in Armenia was not even read through.
Manukyan cited 3 possible outcomes for currently suspended opposition-coalition dialogue: in the first case, the authorities will agree to consider the possibility of snap election, in the second one, the authorities will refuse to discuss the issue, and in the third case, the authorities will keep silence. The silence will be taken by ANC as a refusal which will, in turn, prompt the latter to take drastic steps.
Manukyan, however, stressed the importance of opposition-coalition dialogue as a way to avoid a crisis.
Representatives of the ruling coalition have held meetings since July 18, the two main issues on the agenda being conduction of extraordinary election (on ANC demand) and development of canons of political competition (as suggested by the authorities).
Problems emerged when police detained 7 young ANC activists. According to the ANC, on August 9 police officers used violence against ANC activists Tigran Arakelyan and Artak Karapetyan. Upon arrival to the site, activists Areg Gevorgyan, Sahak Muradyan, Vahagn Gevorgyan, Sargis Gevorgyan and David Kirimajyan tried to settle the dispute but were beaten as well, the ANC said. All above-mentioned were taken to a police station.
Currently, Tigran Arakelyan is kept in custody. The others were released.
On August 26, the Congress announced that it suspends the dialogue and believes Arakelyan to be a political prisoner.
