YEREVAN—Under the banner of “Liberty. Justice. ARF,” the Armenian Revolutionary Federation unveiled its list of candidates for the upcoming parliamentary elections slated for May 6, reported Yerkir. The 85-strong list, released on March 22, is headed by ARF Bureau member and current ARF bloc chairman Vahan Hovannesian.
Hovanessian was joined by fellow parliament members Armen Rustamian and Artush Shahbazian at a press conference, where they unveiled the list and discussed some of the reasoning behind the candidates.
Explaining that compiling the list was an arduous process, Hovannesian asserted that “Our list is the most successful one and individuals named on our list are worthy of becoming parliament members.”
“ARF list was created by a consensus and in an amicable fashion. We have separated responsibilities in order that every person has a specific responsibility,” explained Hovannesian.
“I believe that voters have realized that the lies and promises [by the ruling elite] must not be trusted. The campaign will be heated and we have serious expectations,” said Hovannesian about the outcome of the elections.
Hovannesian explained that the ARF has kept its promise of shuffling the list and bringing new actors to the legislative arena. As a result, half of the current ARF parliamentary bloc is not part of the current list of nominees. Those that have not been incorporated within the list have other responsibilities in the political arena.
Rustamian told the press conference that there was clear logic behind the list, which seeks to fulfill certain political goals.
“ARF aims to change the entire regime and make systematic changes in our country,” said Rustamian.
Under the current electoral code, 90 of the 131 members of parliament are elected on the proportional system, while the remaining 41 members elected on the single-mandate.
Late last year, the ARF along with the other parliamentary opposition bloc, the Heritage Party, sought to reform Armenia’s electoral system by proposing a 100-percent proportional system, which they said would minimize voter harassment and vote rigging.
The measure was turned down last month by the ruling coalition governing the parliament.
The ARF said that it would also announce a list of candidates that would vie for parliament seats in single-mandate elections.
The ARF currently holds 16 seats in the 131-member National Assembly. The number of seats is determined by the percentage of the votes garnered by the party after the election. The members of parliament are seated in ascending order of the list submitted to Central Electoral Commisssion.
Below is the list of candidates on the ARF list:
1. Vahan Hovannesian
2. Armen Rustamian
3. Artush Shahbazyan
4. Aghvan Vartanian
5. Artsvik Minassian
6. Karine Harutunian
7. Armen Babayan
8. Aramayin Grigoryan
9. Miakel Manoukyan
10. Karen Shalhmouradyan
11. Rouzanna Arakelyan
12. Ara Nranyan
13. Arsen Hambartsoumyan
14. Gagik Gevorkyan
15. Vahram Tamazian
16. Nouneh Petrossyan
17. Martoun Matevosian
18. Ishkhan Saghatelyan
19. Vartan Aleksanyan
20. Lillit Galstyan
21. Davit Yeritsyan
22. Nvart Manassyan
23. Zaven Mirzakhanyan
24. Manvel Hairapetyan
25. Romik Manoukyan
26. Artashess Nikoyan
27. Narine Galstyan
28. Artash Hounanian
29. Souren Manoukyan
30. Nelly Baghdassaryan
31. Karlen Gevorkyan
32. Hakob Matilyan
33. Arman Yeghiazarian
34. Naira Ghazarian
35. Arthur Ghazarian
36. Haroutiun Melikyan
37. Armenouhi Kiureghyan
38. Artsruni Igityan
39. Armen Shaverdyan
40. Gevork Markaryan
41. Nouneh Vartanyan
42. Geregin Sargsyan
43. Naira Mkrtchyan
44. Vartan Davyan
45. Movses Manoukyan
46. Gayaneh Nercicyan
47. Benik Hambartsoumyan
48. Albert Sarkisyan
49. Marine Sarksyan
50. Artak Vartanyan
51. Varazdat Navoyan
52. Margarita Khosteghyan
53. Spartak Asoyan
54. Gnel Sargsyan
55. Hasmik Zakaryan
56. Yenovk Abrahamyan
57. Hovsep Simonyan
58. Esmah Zargaryan
59. Razmik Mkhitarian
60. Anahit Petrosyan
61. Andranik Ghazaryan
62. Mourad Grigoryan
63. Amalia Aleksanyan
64. Karo Nasibyan
65. Aram Nazaryan
66. Hovhannes Tatevosyan
67. Gvidon Matinyan
68. Anahit Haroutiunyan
69. Aram Babayan
70. Ida Hakopyan
71. Arshavir Gasparyan
72. Sona Pirouzyan
73. Gourgen Vartanyan
74. Eva Soghoyan
75. Vatchakan Hovannesyan
76. Mkrtitch Danielyan
77. Naira Aloyan
78. Garnik Nalbandyan
79. Romik Avanesyan
80. Nektar Hovhannesyan
81. Romik Hambartsoumyan
82. Mayranoush Barsoumyan
83. Edvard Aslanyan
84. Sousanns Poghosyan
85. Levon Gabrielyan
Do these candidates have bios? What good are just names?
Unveiling the names of 85 candidates is not meaningful, as we do not know who they are, what is their background or qualifications or their chances of being elected.
What would be more interesting and certainly inspiring, is the ARF “Platform” on which these candidates will run their election campaigns.
There has been several articles, columns, opinions expressed about the political and economical environment in Armenia. For the upcoming elections, the Platform on which the ARF candidates will be running, the message it delivers and the promises it makes will be critical to garner the support of the electorate.
In my himble opinion, the Platform’s focal points should be the following three areas:
1- What are ARF’s plans to improve the economic conditions and well being of all Armenians in Armenia.
2- What concrete proposals they have to stem the tide of emigration.
3- What actions they plan to take to reduce the level of corruption.( Note, I used the word reduce and not eliminate).
Unless the Platform addresses these three higly critical issues and exudes cofidence in the ARF and its slate of candidates, my deep concern is that the ARF will not do much better than the last elections, and without a strong representation in the parliament, they will not be able to influence to make any meaningful and effective changes.
We have to be pragmatic and realistic. This is a task that the ARF in Armenia alone can handle. The Diaspora, will all its good intentions, can’t do anything.
May be, someone, the AW, or the ARF, will be kind and open enough to tell us what the ” Platform” is.
Vart Adjemian