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ARMENIAN REPUBLICANS TO UNVEIL 'ANTI-FRAUD' PLAN
By Karine Kalantarian
Radio Liberty, Czech Rep.
April 4 2007
The ruling Republican Party of Armenia (HHK) will soon unveil a set
of measures aimed at preventing a repeat of serious fraud in next
month's parliamentary elections, Justice Minister David Harutiunian
said on Wednesday.
The announcement came as the Central Election Commission officially
registered all 24 parties and one alliance that have applied for
participation in the elections under the system of proportional
representation. They will be vying for 90 of the 131 seats in the
National Assembly.
The remaining 41 seats will be up for grabs in single-member
constituencies across the country. More than 150 individual candidates,
most of them affiliated with or endorsed by various parties, have
filed for registration in those constituencies.
"We have no alternative [to holding democratic elections,]" Harutiunian
told RFE/RL in an interview. "There is such will [in the HHK,] and
right now the party is working on measures that will contribute to
the realization of that goal."
"I will be in charge of the effort. We are going to fight against
vote irregularities," he said.
Harutiunian said this will involve, among other things, the launch of a
telephone hot line for citizens witnessing vote buying, ballot stuffing
and other irregularities that marred presidential and parliamentary
elections held in Armenia until now. He declined to detail other
anti-fraud measures planned by a party that has for years been accused
of resorting to vote rigging to dominate Armenian politics.
The initiative is certain to be dismissed by the Armenian opposition
as a pre-election gimmick designed to mislead the public and the
international community. Some opposition leaders have already accused
the Republicans of planning to rig the elections scheduled for May
12. Reports in the Armenian press have said that local government
chiefs affiliated with the HHK are forcing civil servants and other
public sectors employees to join the party or face dismissal.
Harutiunian joined the HHK and was included on its electoral list in
February after months of media speculation about his political plans
for the near future. He said he had considered joining Prosperous
Armenia (BHK), another major pro-establishment party reportedly
sponsored by President Robert Kocharian, but eventually picked the
HHK. The minister admitted that Prosperous Armenia's refusal to have
unpopular government members among its election candidates was one
of the factors behind his choice.
Harutiunian, who is widely regarded as Kocharian's protege, denied
suggestions that the Armenian president "sent" him to the HHK as part
of his alleged efforts to hold the governing party led by Defense
Minister Serzh Sarkisian in check. "That is not true," he said. "I had
the freedom to choose between the two parties, and I made a choice."
By Karine Kalantarian
Radio Liberty, Czech Rep.
April 4 2007
The ruling Republican Party of Armenia (HHK) will soon unveil a set
of measures aimed at preventing a repeat of serious fraud in next
month's parliamentary elections, Justice Minister David Harutiunian
said on Wednesday.
The announcement came as the Central Election Commission officially
registered all 24 parties and one alliance that have applied for
participation in the elections under the system of proportional
representation. They will be vying for 90 of the 131 seats in the
National Assembly.
The remaining 41 seats will be up for grabs in single-member
constituencies across the country. More than 150 individual candidates,
most of them affiliated with or endorsed by various parties, have
filed for registration in those constituencies.
"We have no alternative [to holding democratic elections,]" Harutiunian
told RFE/RL in an interview. "There is such will [in the HHK,] and
right now the party is working on measures that will contribute to
the realization of that goal."
"I will be in charge of the effort. We are going to fight against
vote irregularities," he said.
Harutiunian said this will involve, among other things, the launch of a
telephone hot line for citizens witnessing vote buying, ballot stuffing
and other irregularities that marred presidential and parliamentary
elections held in Armenia until now. He declined to detail other
anti-fraud measures planned by a party that has for years been accused
of resorting to vote rigging to dominate Armenian politics.
The initiative is certain to be dismissed by the Armenian opposition
as a pre-election gimmick designed to mislead the public and the
international community. Some opposition leaders have already accused
the Republicans of planning to rig the elections scheduled for May
12. Reports in the Armenian press have said that local government
chiefs affiliated with the HHK are forcing civil servants and other
public sectors employees to join the party or face dismissal.
Harutiunian joined the HHK and was included on its electoral list in
February after months of media speculation about his political plans
for the near future. He said he had considered joining Prosperous
Armenia (BHK), another major pro-establishment party reportedly
sponsored by President Robert Kocharian, but eventually picked the
HHK. The minister admitted that Prosperous Armenia's refusal to have
unpopular government members among its election candidates was one
of the factors behind his choice.
Harutiunian, who is widely regarded as Kocharian's protege, denied
suggestions that the Armenian president "sent" him to the HHK as part
of his alleged efforts to hold the governing party led by Defense
Minister Serzh Sarkisian in check. "That is not true," he said. "I had
the freedom to choose between the two parties, and I made a choice."