May 1, 2007

Heritage Conducts Press Briefing, Holds Town Hall Meetings

Yerevan—Today, May 1, Heritage Party spokesman Hovsep Khurshudian conducted a press briefing at party headquarters. He discussed Heritage’s recent activities, “Toward Victory’s” travels to the Aragatsotn, Shirak, and Ararat marzes, and the tree-planting ceremony in the town of Masis.

Khurshudian then addressed the misinformation disseminated by Golos Armenii, the Russian-language daily, in its April 28 issue, to the effect that Raffi K. Hovannisian spent 4.5 of the past 18 months out of the country. “This misinformation is sourced in a March 31 report of Hayots Askharkh, which we had refuted immediately upon publication. In blatant violation of basic media ethics, however, the daily did not issue a retraction,” Khurshudian said. “We advise pro-establishment papers that are busy with smear campaigns to sever their attention from Raffi Hovannisian, who travels abroad through personal means and for the benefit of Armenia’s national interests, and redirect it to those state officials who go on foreign visits often for private pleasures and on the tax payer’s dime.”

Khurshudian then addressed the Impeachment Alliance’s claim that those who do not join the movement are fake oppositionists. He recalled the citizens’ assembly and the demonstration held by Hovannisian on November 25, 2005 at Liberty Square. All those willing, including politicians, journalists, and citizens, were invited to join the movement and deliver speeches from the platform. “Heritage did not dispense similar condemnations to those who did not join,” Khurshudian said.

Also today, Khurshudian received a group of journalists from the “Caucasus Reporting Network,” a program of the Institute for War and Peace Reporting (IWPR). They discussed Heritage’s platform and outlooks—its role in the upcoming parliamentary elections and beyond.

Shortly thereafter, Heritage held town hall meetings with the Malatia-Sebastia, Ajapniak, and Davtashen communities in Yerevan. Raffi Hovannisian, Larisa Alaverdian, Vardan Khachatrian, Anahit Bakhshian, and other party candidates unfurled the party’s program and pledged to build a country of freedom, law, and dignity. They stressed that Heritage’s electoral objective is to form a majority in parliament and to establish a new government rooted in the national will.