Leader of the National Accord Party Aram Haroutiunyan, who was among the potential eight candidates for president of Armenia, who had not submitted the deposit payment receipt (in the amount of 8 million drams or some $20,000) earlier, finally paid the deposit on January 8, the CEC press-service reports.
To recall, only 8 of the 15 presidential contenders have paid the deposit for participation in the presidential election: incumbent president of Armenia, Leader of the Republican Party of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan, Leader of the Union for National Self-Determination Party Paruyr Hayrikyan, Leader of Heritage Party Raffi Hovannisian, Leader of Liberty Party Hrant Bagratyan, Advisor for Political Issues of the Refugees and the International Law Civil Society Network, ex-foreign
minister of NKR Arman Melikyan, unemployed ethnographer Vardan Sedrakyan and Director of Hay Radio Andreas Ghukasyan. Earlier on Tuesday, at a session of the CEC many candidates who had not paid the necessary deposit protested against the given requirement and called it anti-constitutional. One of the candidates asked permission for not paying the necessary amount, as he is an unemployed. Nevertheless, the CEC announced that all the candidates have just 48 hours to pay the deposit; otherwise they will not be registered as candidates for president.
To recall, the presidential election in Armenia is scheduled for Feb 18.