YEREVAN, MARCH 10, NOYAN TAPAN. The fact that the parties making parts of the coalition will run separately in the May elections of Yerevan Council of Aldermen is natural and logical. The chairman of the National Assembly Standing Committee of Science, Education, Culture, Youth and Sport Issues, member of "Republican Party of Armenia" (RPA) faction Armen Ashotian expressed this opinion at the March 10 press conference. In his words, the coalition is not an eternal format, and each party of the coalition is trying to increase its role. Speaking about the opposition's running in the elections, A. Ashotian noted that the stage of mutual use of "Heritage" party and the Armenian National Congress (ANC) is over. According to him, now the political interests of these two forces are quite different. He said that "Heritage" was making use of Levon Ter-Petrosian's "political boom" for a long time, and at present it is independently preparing for 2012-2013 elections". "Anything that could be received from L. Ter-Petrosian in terms of an image, rating, electorate, "Heritage" has already received and it no longer needs L. Ter-Petrosian's fading wave," A. Ashotian noted. In his opinion, unless the ANC has its faction in the Yerevan Council of Aldermen, the possibility of the extraparliamentary opposition's running in and winning the 2012 elections is questionable. A. Ashotian said that the ANC and "Heritage" have many supporters in Yerevan and the total number of votes to be received by these two forces in the elections of the Council of Aldermen will make up 25-30%. By his forecast, RPA will receive 30-35% of votes, "Prosperous Armenia" Party will be in second place, and "ARF" party and "Orinats Yerkir" party will also overcome the 7% threshold.

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