Serzh Sargsyan says opposition unity difficult ahead of elections

Former Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan said on Tuesday that uniting the opposition remains a difficult task, as his Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) has yet to decide whether and how it will take part in the country’s upcoming parliamentary elections.

Speaking to reporters before a hearing at the Anti-Corruption Court, Sargsyan said no decision had been made on participation or on the format the party might choose.

“There is no decision. If there is one, we will say so,” Sargsyan said.

Asked whether the RPA could run as part of a broad opposition alliance, Sargsyan said he would like that outcome but suggested it may be hard to achieve.

“Developments show that uniting the opposition is a complicated issue,” he said, adding that it did not necessarily mean running on a single list. “But we’ll see.”

Armenia is expected to hold parliamentary elections in June this year.