The first president of Armenia Levon Ter-Petrosyan did not run for president because of financial difficulties, Gurgen Yeghiazaryan, a member of the
opposition wing of the Social-Democratic Hnchakyan Party (SDHP), said during a press conference on 22 April.
He said that Ter-Petrosyan's age was just an excuse. "He said in his statement that besides the age, there is also a technical reason, which, I guess, is lack of funds", - he said and added that Armenian National Congress had financial problems during the parliamentary election as well. At present, in the Yerevan Council of Elders election ANC and its candidate Vahagn Khacharyan have the same problem. He disproved the rumors according to which ANC gets financial aid from the Prosperous Armenia Party, initiated by the second president of Armenia and the enemy of the ANC, Robert Kocharyan.
He also added he does not understand the decision of ANC to discuss a problem of joining Raffi Hovannisian's movement "New Armenia", as it is senseless to join a man which has been leading the people to nowhere. "Why has Raffi Hovannisian set up a movement? Why did he heroize president Serzh Sargsyan which is not a hero? Monte Melkonyan but not Serzh Sargsyan is a hero. It is clear that his only purpose is to split the opposition field", - he said and added that the only person which could change the situation is Ter-Petrosyan but not Raffi Hovannisian. "Even a folklorist Vardan Sedrakyan could become the president but not Raffi Hovannisian", - he concluded.