ARF Holds Final Campaign Rally at Yerevan’s Liberty Square

Thousands Attend Rally in Support of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation

YEREVAN (A.W.)— On March 30, the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) held its final campaign rally for the upcoming Parliamentary Elections. The rally took place at Yerevan’s Liberty Square, during which several performers—including Nersik and Arabo Ispiryan—and speakers—including candidates and high-ranking ARF officials—took to the stage for a final push before the April 2 vote.

Remarks were delivered to the thousands in attendance by ARF Bureau member and head of the party’s political affairs Armen Rustamyan and ARF Supreme Council representative and campaign manager Aghvan Vardanyan.

During his address, Vardanyan explained that the ARF’s responsibility is to guarantee the freedom of the Armenian people and to ensure that the election process is carried out smoothly. He stressed that those that take away the rights of the Armenian people do not deserve to be part of the Armenian identity.

“Political power should not be defined by how much money you have or how much leverage you hold,” said Vardanyan. “Real political forces are defined by principles and the commitment to uphold these principles.”

In his remarks, Rustamyan explained how as a political force with an ideology and with a set of goals, it is the responsibility of the ARF to convince the average Armenian citizen to become a supporter and a believer in the Armenian cause.

Rustamyan detailed the necessary conditions that need to be created for the development of Armenia, which included putting an end to injustices, restoring the fundamental rights of citizens, and making sure the elections are decided by the people.

He reiterated the ARF’s stance on Artsakh and stated that the ARF’s new beginning will be the starting point of a new era.

“It is our duty to do everything we can so that next year when we celebrate the centennial of the First Republic—so we become a state that the prominent figures of the First Republic had envisioned,” concluded Rustamyan.

ARF member and Yerkir Media’s director of news and political programming Gegham Manukyan also addressed the crowd, stressing the significant role of the ARF in Artsakh—especially during the 2016 April War.

Manukyan also spoke about the aid that the ARF has provided to the Syrian Armenians who had settled in Armenia, highlighting the fact that many were at the rally. He argued that we must combat the political parties without any ideologies by supporting the ARF.