During his final campaign speech before Monday’s election, President Sargsyan confessed that Raffi Hovannian’s open style of campaigning of shaking hands and kissing babies had ushered in a new political tradition in Armenia.

Sargsyan made the remark during a speech in downtown Yerevan just two days before the February 18 presidential election.

“Yes, today in Armenia a revolution is taking place. It is a constitutional revolution that we all are engaged in. And in the first place, with our active participation,” Sargsyan told the seated crowd.

 “Raffi Hovannisian is proving that to be in the opposition doesn’t mean to foment hatred everywhere,” Sargsyan said.

Sargsyan labelled Hovannisian’s campaign “beautiful” and full of tens of thousands of handshakes. The president said that those who mocked it were mistaken.

In contrast, Raffi Hovannisian’s final appearance at the Marriot Hotel was standing room only and emotionally charged with occasional outbursts from the crowd, as well as impromptu singing and dancing.

Hovannisian called on Serzh Sargsyan to do the right thing and instruct all government officials, from regional governors to village heads, from the police to the security services, to stop their tactics of intimidation and to allow voters to cast a ballot according to their conscience.