Armenian candidate to leave presidential race

Armenian presidential candidate and leader of the National Accord party Aram Harutyunyan has announced at a press conference on Wednesday that he will leave the presidential race on February 8, News-Armenia reported.

"From 17:00 February 7, I will hold a one day hunger strike on a bench in front of the Central Election Commission and at 17:00 February 8, I will go to the CEC and take stand down from the election," he said.

Harutyunyan noted that the goal of his one day long hunger strike is to call on other presidential candidates to follow him.

At the same time the candidate said that after leaving the presidential race, he will continue to remain in the political arena.

"I am sure that after the election starting from February 19, most of the candidates will gradually drop out of the country's political arena, but I will stay and continue my political activities," he said.

The sixth Armenian presidential election will be held Feb.18 from 08:00 to 20:00 local time. The head of state is elected for five years.

Those running for the presidency are the incumbent president and ruling Republican Party leader Serzh Sargsyan, former Prime Minister Grant Bagratyan, chairman of the Heritage Party Raffi Hovhannisyan, Paruyr Hayrikyan, Arman Melikyan, Andrias Ghukasyan, Vardan Setrakyan and the leader of the National Accord Party Aram Harutyunyan.