March 21, 2008 - 17:46 AMT
Armenian opposition: authorities will decline in near future
Formally lifting the emergency rule, the authorities apply the strategy of its perpetuation, Levon Ter-Petrosyan's team-mate Levon Zurabyan told a news conference on March 21.

"The authorities hastily took measures to deprive the population of any possibility to protest. They used the state of emergency as a tool of pressure on the Constitutional Court. That is why members of our movement do not accept the CC decision," he said.

"Representatives of the ex-President's movement are ready for dialogue. But is dialogue possible when one of the sides reaches out one hand and tries to beat with the other. Many of our team-mates have been arrested; prisons have been filled with people persecuted for their political views. Holding talks when our compatriots are kept in custody would be treason," he said.

When commenting on further plans, Zurabyan said that opposition will try to avoid tensions and bloodshed. "We will not hold unauthorized protest actions," he said.

"Armenia is awakening. The nation will never accept the despotic regime of the incumbent authorities which are doomed to decline soon," he said, IA Regnum reports.