Armenia: opposition moves demands to authorities

At the several thousand strong rally of the Armenian National Congress (ANC), following the call of the former President of the country Levon Ter-Petrosyan, the opposition has put forward 15 demands to the authorities with the announced deadline on March 15 this year.

The statement read out at the rally by Ter-Petrosyan, included the demands to the authorities, until March 15, to release political prisoners; to establish an independent international commission for investigating the events of March 1, or to restore the work of the fact-finding group; to stop threats and terror by the police, aimed at preventing participation of the public in rallies; and lift the ban on rallies in Freedom Square.

Also, the protesters demanded resignation of Prime Minister Tigran Sarkisyan, Vice-Prime Minister Armen Gevorkyan, Chief of the Police Alik Sarkisyan, and head of the National Security Service Gorik Akopyan.

According to Ter-Petrosyan, should the authorities satisfy most of the demands, the ANC would agree to start dialogue with them; there will be one topic of the dialogue - early parliamentary and presidential elections.

The next rally of the ANC will be held on March 17.

After the rally, a several thousand strong march moved to the monument of Myasnikyan, where on March 1, 2008, tragic events took place and took away 10 lives.