Ishkhan Saghatelyan: ARFD will participate in local self-government elections despite pressure from the authorities on opposition candidates

ArmInfo.  The Armenian Revolutionary Federation “Dashnaktsutyun” (ARF Dashnaktsutyun) will participate in the upcoming elections to local self-government bodies (LSG). This was stated on September 16 at a press conference in Yerevan by Ishkhan Saghatelyan, a member of the Armenian parliament from the opposition “Armenia” faction and a representative of the Supreme Council of the ARF “Dashnaktsutyun” (ARFD).

As the lawmaker уточнил, the “Forward” party will also participate in these elections. “We will participate in the LSG elections in a number of communities. Another force from our ‘Armenia’ bloc—the ‘Forward’ party—will also participate in these elections. In two or three days, we will publish the list of all the communities where we intend to participate,” Saghatelian stated.

At the same time, the opposition figure drew attention to the fact that mass and shameful repression against the opposition is being carried out throughout Armenia. “Armenia’s law enforcement agencies, the National Security Service, the Investigative Committee, the police, even the tax authorities and regional administrations are persecuting all those opposition political forces that intend to participate in the upcoming LSG elections. This is happening everywhere and represents a new level of shameful pressure,” the opposition figure noted.

According to him, this pressure is being exerted not only on representatives of their political force, but also on their supporters. “The Civil Contract party will try to use these elections to secure its legitimacy, but this has nothing to do with free democracy,” he added.

Saghatelian also commented on the participation of former opposition figure and incumbent Goris Mayor Arush Arushanyan in the upcoming elections in Goris, representing the “Solidarity” bloc formed by the “Civil Contract” party and the “Business” party. “I am sorry about this decision. When I was told a year ago that Arushanyan might cooperate with the ‘Civil Contract’ party, I argued with many people and said that this was impossible. What has been done is unacceptable and incomprehensible—both at the political level and at any other level. At least for me, it was unexpected,” the lawmaker noted.

He acknowledged that they had a great deal of work ahead of them with the citizens of Armenia. “We also have our shortcomings. Yes, we are to blame for the fact that the current leadership is still in power. That those who brought tragedy and death to our country still manage to retain power. But I hope this will not continue for long,” the lawmaker concluded.

It should be recalled that in the autumn of 2026, elections to local self-government bodies (LSG) will be held in 46 communities of Armenia.