The forces in the Armenian Parliament have refused to run in the presidential race as a result of behind-the-scene arrangements with the authorities, Manvel Sargsyan, Director of the Armenian Center for National and International Studies, said at today's press conference.
He thinks it is strange that on the one hand, all the forces have refused to take part in the race (ARF Dashnaktsutyun, Prosperous Armenia Party, Armenian National Congress), explaining their refusal by their reluctance to participate in the performance called "elections", and on the other hand, these forces have been cooperating with the incumbent authorities for many years. "It is not clear whether they have just understood the senselessness of these processes and rationality has just got the best of it or there are much deeper reasons", he said. Sargsyan himself is inclined to consider this boycott as a consequence of a deal.
He thinks that this deal has led to the collapse faced by the political field of Armenia, as there is no force capable to be a counterweight to the power. The expert believes that such a political monopoly is a serious threat, even for the power itself. "The Armenian society has remained face to face with the power and feels ill at ease at the moment", he said.