YEREVAN. Feb 25 (Interfax) - Raffi Ovannissian, the leader of the Armenian opposition party Heritage who came in second in the recent presidential elections, announced the beginning of protest rallies across the country at a rally in the center of Yerevan on Friday.
"At a meeting with Serzh Sargsyan [the incumbent president of Armenia, who won the elections], I demanded that those who rigged the elections be punished, but was refused. I proposed that new parliamentary elections be called so as to form a new government, but was refused. I said: If you are unwilling and don't have enough courage to recognize the people's victory, don't blame me," Ovannisian told the rally participants referring to his Thursday meeting with Sargsyan.
He announced protest rallies at three Armenian cities, i.e. Ashtarak, Gyumri and Vanadzor on Saturday and at Freedom Square in the center of Yerevan on Sunday.
"I am determined to defend our people's interests. Our struggle will not wane. We are heading toward victory," Ovannisian said.
Meanwhile, the Yerevan city hall has declined a request submitted by the Heritage party for rallies on Freedom Square in Yerevan on February 23-25.
About 9,000 people accompanied by police marched along central streets in Yerevan earlier on Friday. Before this, opposition activists held a rally on Freedom Square.
Ovannisian earlier claimed victory in the presidential elections, refusing to acknowledge the official outcome published by the Central Elections Commission.