Thursday, February 16 2017 19:30

ArmInfo.To participate in the April  parliamentary elections, 9 political units submitted their lists to the Central Election Commission of Armenia.

Both for journalists and the CEC staff the participation of the  Armenian Communist Party in the upcoming parliamentary elections was  a surprise, as the party has not previously made statements about  that. In the proportional party list 173 candidates are included and  the first secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party  of Armenia Tachat Sargsyan headed it.

Decisions of the three political forces of Republican Party of  Armenia, ARF "Dashnaktsutyun" and "Armenian revival" to participate  in the elections on a separate list remained unchanged. The Minister  of Defense of Armenia Vigen Sargsyan, Armen Rustamyan leads the  Armenian Revolutionary Federation and Arthur Baghdasaryan leads the  ARP party list.

In contrast to the above mentioned forces, Levon Ter-Petrosyan's  Armenian National Congress and Stepan Demirchyan's the People's Party  of Armenia, as well as Khachatur Kokobelyan's the Free Democrats"  Party " and Hrant Bagratyan's "Freedom" decided to make a single  list. The List is headed by Ter- Petrosyan, and Khachatur Kokobelyan  leads the "Free Democrats" and "Freedom" list.  Three blocks:  "Tsarukyan", "Raffi OganyanOskanyan" and "Elk" will also  participate in parliamentary elections. The parties of "Prosperous  Armenia", "Armenian National Movement", "Alliance" and "Justice"  consolidated into "Tsarukyan" bloc. PAP leader Gagik Tsarukyan headed  the list. The former head of the Control Chamber Ishkhan Zaqaryan,  followed by Naira Zohrabyan, economist Vardan Bostanjyan, MP Miqael  Melqumyan, the leader of the Armenian National Movement Ararat  Zurabyan and "Alliance" leader Tigran Urikhanyan.

The "Raffi Ohanian, Oskanian" Bloc distinguished with creativity  which consolidated the parties "Heritage" and "Unity", as well as  several public organizations. As expected, the list of non-party bloc  led former Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan, but surprise was the  decision of the eccentric leader of "Heritage" Raffi Hovannisian to  place in the proportional list of the party conceded deputy chairman  Armen Martirosyan, and he was placed at the 11th position. The Third  in the proportional list was the ex- Foreign Minister and leader of  the "Unity" Vartan Oskanian, after comes a member of his party Elinar  Vardanyan and "heir" Vahagn Hovhannisyan.

Meanwhile, the "Elk" Bloc, which is formed from parties of Edmond  Marukyan's "Enlightened Armenia" Aram Sargsyan's "Republic" and Nikol  Pashinyan's "Civil Contracts", did not provide any surprises, but  promised to impress voters after the elections and get a  parliamentary majority. The list of the political entity headed  Marukyan, he is followed by Aram Sargsyan, Nikol Pashinyan, the  representative of PA Tandilyan Mane and a Parliamentarian Sasun  Mikaelyan.

Parliamentary elections in Armenia are scheduled for April 2, 2017.  According to the CEC, the official election campaign starts on March  5 and completes on 31th. The elections will take place on April 2  from 8:00 to 20:00. Preliminary results will be announced till 20:00  April 3rd. It will be the first elections after the adoption of the  constitutional reform of 2015, providing transition to a  parliamentary form of government.