EcoLur
“Bekum” Center for Democracy Support made a statement at the press conference of OSCE/ODIHR Observation Mission held on 19 February about the presidential elections in Armenia.
“The presidential elections in Armenia made a step forward and three steps behind, two steps to the right and half a step to the left as compared with the previous elections. They didn’t meet the requirements of the Armenian constitution, the Electoral Code of RA and international standards.
The elections were held on the background of the majority in power refusing from the amendments in the Electoral Code proposed by the opposition. It’s noteworthy that opposition parliamentary forces, such as the Armenian National Congress, the Dashnaktsutyun Party, “Free Democrats” Party didn’t nominate their own presidential candidate and didn’t propose to vote for any candidate. The election period was characterized with unequal conditions in favour of the president, who used administrative resources and exercised pressure on the employees of state and public sector. The election campaign wasn’t held in peaceful conditions: an assassination attempt was committed on presidential candidate Paruyr Hayrikyan, another candidate Andreas Ghukasyan was on the hunger strike, who declared these elections another show.
On the election day the constituencies turned into a theatre with null and void bulletins, bulletins with cartoon heroes, while in one of the precincts the voted ate his bulletin as a sign of protest. There were cases of double voting, bulletin stuffing and well- known “round-about” leaving place for falsifications, bribes etc.”
The Armenian citizens didn’t pose any demands to the OSCE/OHDIR observers and didn’t express their attitude in an alternative manner on the elections day. In reply to the demonstration of exercising force the OSCE mission sought to restrict itself with the right to freedom of speech, thus violating the right to free elections.
February 19, 2013 at 19:45