The presidential candidate of Armenia Paruyr Hayrikyan has explained his decision to withdraw an application for postponement of the presidential election from the Constitutional Court on principles of democracy, Mediamax wrote.
"I was going to submit the application within three days, but when I was submitting the documents, it was ascertained that I have the right to do so within one day only. I rendered everyone active bar one of the candidates," he said.
Hayrikyan named another reason for revoking the application.
"There was another factor that I should mention for the first time, that by postponing the elections I would put at stake, the life of Andrias Ghukasyan. I believe that he will continue his hunger strike until the election," Hayrikyan said.
Answering a question on a particular candidate, Paruyr Hayrikyan noted that "despite Grant Bagratyan's reaction, united participation in elections is possible."
He also noted that a second round of the presidential election is inevitable. In response to a question about his rating, Hayrikyan said "my rating is currently at a level which will allow me to decide which direction to follow in the second round."
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 leader of the National Accord Party Aram Harutyunyan.