MAY 12 ELECTIONS WILL ENABLE ARMENIA TO CORRECT FACT OF HOLDING NOT FREE AND NOT FAIR ELECTIONS UP TO THIS DAY, OSCE ODIHR OBSERVATION MISSION HEAD SAYS
Noyan Tapan
Mar 21 2007
YEREVAN, MARCH 21, NOYAN TAPAN. "The elections held in Armenia up
to now have not corresponded to European standards of free and fair
elections."
Ambassador Boris Frlec, head of elections observation mission of
OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR),
gave assurance at the March 21 press conference. He said that the May
12 parliamentary elections will enable Armenia in case of manifesting
a political will to correct the fact of continuous holding not free
and not fair elections.
B. Frlec added that the Armenia's Electoral Code amended lately is
a sound legal base for holding of democratic elections, but only
that circumstance is not enough for achieving positive results. As
he affirmed, the necessary condition for holding the forthcoming
elections in accordance with commitments assumed by Armenia towards
OSCE "is manifestation of good will of country's authorities, as
well as of civil society, of parliamentary and extraparliamentary
political forces and media."
ODIHR observation mission is in Armenia at the invitation of RA Foreign
Ministry. The mission's experts are going to carry out long-term
observation activity in preelectoral, electoral and post-electoral
periods. B. Frlec said that the observers will watch the process
of elections and will make the respective protocols, but will never
intervene into the electoral process.
Noyan Tapan
Mar 21 2007
YEREVAN, MARCH 21, NOYAN TAPAN. "The elections held in Armenia up
to now have not corresponded to European standards of free and fair
elections."
Ambassador Boris Frlec, head of elections observation mission of
OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR),
gave assurance at the March 21 press conference. He said that the May
12 parliamentary elections will enable Armenia in case of manifesting
a political will to correct the fact of continuous holding not free
and not fair elections.
B. Frlec added that the Armenia's Electoral Code amended lately is
a sound legal base for holding of democratic elections, but only
that circumstance is not enough for achieving positive results. As
he affirmed, the necessary condition for holding the forthcoming
elections in accordance with commitments assumed by Armenia towards
OSCE "is manifestation of good will of country's authorities, as
well as of civil society, of parliamentary and extraparliamentary
political forces and media."
ODIHR observation mission is in Armenia at the invitation of RA Foreign
Ministry. The mission's experts are going to carry out long-term
observation activity in preelectoral, electoral and post-electoral
periods. B. Frlec said that the observers will watch the process
of elections and will make the respective protocols, but will never
intervene into the electoral process.
