Two women candidates vying for the same parliamentary seat started slinging some polite mud today at a press conference in Yerevan.

Gohar Veziryan (photo left), a journalist with the opposition-based newspaper Chorrord Inknishkhanutyun took off the gloves when she charged the Heritage Party with being a nominal opposition party.

“I don’t regard Heritage as an opposition party since it states that it will collaborate with the ruling Armenian Republican Party,” Veziryan said.

Veziryan went on to boast that her opponent in the 12th Election District, Anahit Bakhshyan, didn’t stand a chance and wouldn’t siphon off opposition votes.

The journalist said she held an overwhelming advantage over all her opponents given her independent status and that voters were fed up with all the established political parties.

“I am someone who has fought for the last ten years to establish legality in Armenia,” declared Veziryan.

To this, Anahit Bakhshyan asked, “With which political movement?”

Bakhshyan, a Heritage Party MP, argued that Veziryan was conducting her campaign under the auspices of Levon Ter-Petrosyan’s Armenian National Congress.

Veziryan shot back, saying she’d fight alongside all political forces who struggle for a better Armenia. She said that today, the Armenian National Congress was that force and that tomorrow it might be a different one.

Veziryan charged the Heritage Party with colluding with the regime, just like Orinats Yerkir (Rule of Law).

The journalist argued that the Heritage Party campaign wasn’t radical enough and wasn’t targeting Serzh Sargsyan’s regime.

Bakhshyan said it was a serious charge and denied any secret dealings with the regime.

The MP also said that for the past five years Veziryan has written about Heritage in the rudest of manners, giving an advantage to the Congress.

Veziryan also asked Bakhshyan why she decided to run in the 12^th district when she actually lives elsewhere.

Bakhshyan answered that she was a school principal in the district for 8 years and has many close connections to the residents.

Veziryan responded that she’s been a resident for 30 years and her ties go even deeper.

The journalist reiterated that the ruling government views her as the most serious candidate from the opposition and that’s the reason why her campaign posters are being torn down.

“So the government places great importance on Veziryan,” Bakhshyan mocked.

“Are you jealous?” chuckled Veziryan.