Nikol Pashinyan: Armenia's "illegitimate" authorities are responsible for current situation

• Friday, February 1, 20:03

 The assassination attempt against presidential candidate, leader of the National Self-Determination Union Paruyr Hayrikyan is a blow to Armenia, Nikol Pashinyan, MP from the Armenian National Congress, says on his Facebook page. 

He says that the history of the Third Republic has not seen a single case of assassination attempt against presidential candidates. "The whole responsibility for the current situation lies on Armenia's illegitimate authorities headed by Serzh Sargsyan, as well as the law-enforcement agencies that failed to disclose the 1 March 2008 crime and a number of other crimes and thereby encouraged the re-occurrence of the crimes", Pashinyan says. He also points out that the authorities' statements condemning the assassination attempt against Hayrikyan are unconvincing.

To recall, the leader of National Self-Determination Union, presidential candidate Paruyr Hayrikyan was shot in the shoulder Wednesday night and taken to hospital. The police are investigating the case.

To note, 8 candidates will run for presidency on Feb 18: incumbent President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan, former Prime Minister Hrant Bagratyan, leader of Heritage Party Raffi Hovhannisian, leader of Self-Determination Union Paruyr Hayrikyan, leader of National Accord Party Aram Harutyunyan, former Foreign Minister of Nagorno-Karabakh Arman Melikyan, political expert Andreas Ghukasyan and folklore specialist Vartan Sedrakyan.