Official election campaign of presidential election starts

The election campaign of the 2013 presidential election started today.

Starting from today, all the presidential candidates will get free and paid air time on Armenian public television and radio; they can also buy air time from private television companies.

By the Electoral Code, the candidates can use 60 minutes of free airtime on the Public Television and 120 minutes on the Public Radio.

As is known, the following eight candidates are running in the presidential election: the incumbent President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan, former Foreign Minister of Armenia Raffi Hovannisian, former Prime Minister Hrant Bagratian, former Foreign Minister of the NKR Arman Melikian, Chairman of National Self-Determination Union Party (AIM) Paryur Hayrikian, leader of National Accord Party Aram Harutyunian, epos expert Vardan Sedrakian, and political scientist Andreas Ghukasian.

The presidential candidate Serzh Sargsyan will start today his election campaign in Avan administrative district of Yerevan, Hrant Bagratian – in the village of Verin Artashat. The campaign of Raffi Hovanisian will get underway in the area adjacent to Monument to Aram Khachatrian in Yerevan.

The presidential candidate Andreas Ghuksian will begin a hunger strike today.

As regards the other candidates, Vardan Sedrakian is going to start his election campaign by giving a press conference. Nothing is known about the start of election campaigns of Aram Harutyunian, Paruyr Hayrikian, and Arman Melikian.

The election campaign officially start today and will last until February 16, 24:00 local time.

February 17 will be a “silence day”.

Voting on Election Day will start at 8:00 am and end at 8 pm on February 18.