Caucasus Institute Director Alexander Iskandaryan said the shooting of Paruyr Hayrikian would not alter the course of the upcoming presidential election in Armenia.

Iskandaryan told reporters in Moscow that the incident might change public opinion regarding Hayrikian’s candidacy and get him more votes. Nevertheless, it won’t change the final outcome of the election, Iskandaryan said.

The analyst said that at best Hayrikian was a second or third place favourite and that no one would benefit from assassinating him.

Iskandaryan argued that the shooting wasn’t aimed at Hayrikian the candidate but at Hayrkian the national symbol of independence.

The other speakers, Igor Borisov, Andrei Areshev and Alexander Skakov, agreed that the attempted assassination of Hayrikian was in no way beneficial to the big powers.

Photo: Iskandaryan (center)