Raffi Hovannisian: Public opinion polls in Armenia are often far from objective reality

• Friday, January 25, 16:46

 Public opinion polls in Armenia are often far from objective reality, a candidate for president, the leader of the Heritage party, Raffi Hovannisian, said at today's press-conference when replying to ArmInfo correspondent's question about his attitude to predictions.

To recall, according to public opinion poll held jointly by TNS and IPSC on 15-20 January 2013 among Armenian citizens, if the presidential election were held next Sunday, 68% of voters would be ready to vote for the incumbent President Serzh Sargsyan. As for Raffi Hovannisian, he would have scored 20.8%  of the valid votes, while opposition National Self-Determination Union Chairman Paruyr Hayrikyan and opposition Freedom Party Chairman, former PM Hrant Bagratyan each gain almost 5% of the valid votes. The remaining four of the eight official candidates are largely unknown to the poll
respondents and altogether score less than 1.5% of valid votes.

In this context, Hovannisian said nevertheless he has got a certain interest to polls.

"I think that, first of all, a citizen and a voter should gain a victory but not this or that candidate. Despite the orderers of these various surveys, I think they have nothing in common with today's reality. This is the reality - the power and people, "de-facto" and "de-jure" have been fighting. I think I am one of the most active participants, a part of this fight. And I understand that no one man can do it", - Hovannisian said.