ANC criticizes Raffi for leaving rally and joining torchlight procession

YEREVAN, APRIL 12, ARMENPRESS: The Armenian National Congress criticizes the actions of the Leader of the Heritage Party Raffi Hovhannisyan, particularly the fact that on April 9 Raffi left the people with the police and went to participate in the torchlight procession, in the result of which we had the collision. This was stated by the Founder of People’s Power public and political initiative Zoya Tadevosyan at the press conference on April 12.

According to Armenpress, Zoya Tadevosyan criticized the fact that the citizens, gathered in the Square to listen to encouraging words and political statements, had to listen to religious or political speeches instead. As stated by the Founder of People’s Power public and political initiative, this was not a revolution at all.

Zoya Tadevosyan also touched upon the visit of Raffi Hovhannisyan to Moscow. “When Raffi invited Serzh Sargsyan to the Liberty Square and the latter did not go the meeting, Raffi went to the President’s place himself. Now the same happened. Vladimir Putin did not come to the meeting and Raffi Hovhannisyan decided to go to Moscow himself and meet the President of the Russian Federation”, - commented Zoya Tadevosyan.

In the Liberty Square on April 9 during the rally the Leader of the Heritage Party Raffi Hovhannisyan decided to move to the President’s Palace with the demonstrators, but in the beginning of the Baghramyan Street their way was blocked by the Police units stating that the procession was illegal. To smooth the situation the Head of the Police of the Republic of Armenia Vladimir Gasparyan came to the place of the incident and after some negotiations Raffi and his followers along with the Police went up to the Tsitsernakaberd Memorial by the Saryan Street to lay wreath in the memory of the victims of the Armenian Genocide.

From Tsitsernakaberd Raffi Hovhannisyan returned to the Liberty Square and announced that on April 12 again a two-hour rally would take place in the same place, during which he would represent the picture of the future power and the program of the Hello, Yerevan Alliance. Nevertheless, on April 11 Raffi Hovhannisyan left for Moscow.