YEREVAN. Jan 25 (Interfax) - Armenian presidential candidate Paruyr Hayrikyan went on a three-day hunger strike on Friday in support of another presidential candidate, Andreas Gukasyan, who declared a hunger strike on January 21.
"I have visited Gukasyan today. Although I cannot neglect my own responsibilities and stay with him, I am announcing a three-day hunger strike in solidarity," Hayrikyan told the media.
He said he would continue meeting with voters.
Political expert and Radio Hay head Andreas Gukasyan is continuing the hunger strike he began on January 21.
The candidate is demanding that the Central Elections Commission must declare invalid the registration of incumbent President Serzh Sargsyan as a presidential candidate and end the international election observation mission in Armenia.
The Central Elections Commission rejected the demands. It said there were no legal grounds for meeting them.
The presidential election in Armenia will take place on February 18.
The candidates are incumbent President, ruling Republican Party chairman Serzh Sargsyan, former Prime Minister and Freedom opposition party leader Hrant Bagratyan, ex-Foreign Minister and Heritage opposition party chair Raffi Hovannisian, Union for National Self-Determination leader Paruyr Hayrikyan, ex-Foreign Minister of the unrecognized Karabakh republic Arman Melikyan, political expert and Radio Hay head Andreas Gukasyan, epic poetry specialist Vardan Sedrakyan and National Accord leader Aram Arutyunyan.