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MEMBERS OF THE PRE-ELECTION MISSION OF PACE AD HOC COMMITTEE IN THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
National Assembly of RA
Jan 30 2008
Armenia
On January 29 Mr. Tigran Torosyan, RA NA President, received the
members of the pre-election mission of PACE Ad hoc Committee to observe
the presidential elections headed by Mr. John Prescott will arrive
in Armenia. Ms. Bojana Urumova, Special Representative of the Council
of Europe Secretary General to Armenia participated in the meeting.
Welcoming the guests Mr. Tigran Torosyan, NA President, expressed
confidence that this visit and the visits preceding the elections will
promote holding the presidential elections in Armenia in compliance
with international standards. He handed over the members of the
pre-election mission of PACE Ad hoc Committee the certificate on the
amendments made in the Electoral Code, for which served as a basis
the recommendations and considerations of the Venice Commission of
the Council of Europe and OSCE/ODIHR experts on the drawbacks noticed
during the conduct of the parliamentary elections. Reminding that the
parliamentary elections were assessed highly by the international
observers, the NA President stressed also the conduct of the
presidential elections in a best way, which will give opportunity
to confirm that the democratic elections in Armenia are becoming
a tradition. The compliance of the elections with the democratic
standards was also stressed in the aspect of the fulfillment of the
obligations undertaken by Armenia in joining the Council of Europe.
Mr. John Prescott, head of the Pre-election mission of PACE Ad hoc
Committee to observe the presidential elections in Armenia conveyed
the best wishes of the PACE President to NA President and said that
in the Council of Europe he enjoys an authority of an honest man, who
distinctly expresses his opinion about good and bad. Mr. John Prescott,
who is the first time in Armenia, noted that getting familiarized
with the reports regarding the parliamentary elections in 2003 and
2007 he had seen positive developments and progress. As he assessed,
it's important that the elections will be democratic and the results -
acceptable for everybody. At his request the NA President clarified
why being a presidential candidate, the Prime Minister continues
to hold office. It was noted that such precedent had already been
in 1998 (moreover at that time the prime minister in office was not
only a presidential candidate, but he was replacing the president),
besides that, an expert of international organizations never raised
such a question on legislation, that the prime minister in-office
cannot be a presidential candidate. Besides that, in order to get
an exhaustive answer to the question on different opportunities of
coverage one of the European structures has been invited to hold
monitoring and present its data.
At the meeting the sides touched upon the role of the police, courts
at the pre-electoral period and in the aspect of organization of
elections, clarified their role and the issues concerning their
functions.
The members of the Armenian delegation to PACE in the National
Assembly met the members of the Pre-election mission of PACE Ad hoc
Committee to observe the presidential elections, headed by Mr. John
Prescott. Ms. Bojana Urumova, Special Representative of the Council
of Europe Secretary General to Armenia participated in the meeting.
Mr. Prescott noted that they had meetings with the presidential
candidates Mr. Levon Ter-Petrosyan and Mr. Artur Baghdasaryan,
who expressed their dissatisfaction in connection with broadcast
time and some cases of terrorism. In Mr. Prescott's opinion, as it
is election campaigning, then it is possible that the candidates
present more than it is in reality. Mr. Prescott was surprised that
the terms power candidate and opposition candidate are used. The
delegation also met with the head of OSCE/ODIHR office: tomorrow
the first intermediate report of the office will be published. In
the impression of the delegation members after the publication of
the report of every group observing the elections a positive move
is recorded. The head of the mission expressed conviction that the
upcoming elections will record positive step, and the real assessment
of the elections can be given only after elections.
Welcoming the guests Mr. Davit Harutyunyan, head of the Armenian
delegation to PACE, chairman of the NA Standing Committee on State
and Legal Affairs highlighted the fact that the situation is free
in the country in connection with mass media. Mr. Harutyunyan noted
with regret that during the parliamentary elections a monitoring
was held of electronic media through Caucasus Media Institute,
trustworthy organization by PACE, but this time it will not be
held. In his words, the representatives of power and opposition
referred to the data presented by Caucasus Media Institute with
confidence. The next important step, according to Mr. Harutyunyan,
is to put a stamp in the passports of the voting persons, which will
exclude double voting. The reforms made in the judicial system -
is also an important step in the direction of holding democratic
elections: from now the electoral disputes will be examined not in
ordinary courts, but in administrative courts. In Mr. Harutyunyan's
conviction, mechanisms are imported, which give opportunity not only to
hold elections at due level, but also create public confidence toward
the due process of elections. In his words Armenia is standing before
the serious changes, and those elections are possible only in case,
when the people trust the results of the elections.
Referring to the opposition's accusations on providing unequal
broadcast time Mr. Avet Adonts, member of delegation, Chairman of
the NA Standing Committee on European Integration, noted that the
studies show that some candidates of opposition have more broadcast
time than the candidate of power.
At the meeting other issues regarding the electoral processes were
discussed.
National Assembly of RA
Jan 30 2008
Armenia
On January 29 Mr. Tigran Torosyan, RA NA President, received the
members of the pre-election mission of PACE Ad hoc Committee to observe
the presidential elections headed by Mr. John Prescott will arrive
in Armenia. Ms. Bojana Urumova, Special Representative of the Council
of Europe Secretary General to Armenia participated in the meeting.
Welcoming the guests Mr. Tigran Torosyan, NA President, expressed
confidence that this visit and the visits preceding the elections will
promote holding the presidential elections in Armenia in compliance
with international standards. He handed over the members of the
pre-election mission of PACE Ad hoc Committee the certificate on the
amendments made in the Electoral Code, for which served as a basis
the recommendations and considerations of the Venice Commission of
the Council of Europe and OSCE/ODIHR experts on the drawbacks noticed
during the conduct of the parliamentary elections. Reminding that the
parliamentary elections were assessed highly by the international
observers, the NA President stressed also the conduct of the
presidential elections in a best way, which will give opportunity
to confirm that the democratic elections in Armenia are becoming
a tradition. The compliance of the elections with the democratic
standards was also stressed in the aspect of the fulfillment of the
obligations undertaken by Armenia in joining the Council of Europe.
Mr. John Prescott, head of the Pre-election mission of PACE Ad hoc
Committee to observe the presidential elections in Armenia conveyed
the best wishes of the PACE President to NA President and said that
in the Council of Europe he enjoys an authority of an honest man, who
distinctly expresses his opinion about good and bad. Mr. John Prescott,
who is the first time in Armenia, noted that getting familiarized
with the reports regarding the parliamentary elections in 2003 and
2007 he had seen positive developments and progress. As he assessed,
it's important that the elections will be democratic and the results -
acceptable for everybody. At his request the NA President clarified
why being a presidential candidate, the Prime Minister continues
to hold office. It was noted that such precedent had already been
in 1998 (moreover at that time the prime minister in office was not
only a presidential candidate, but he was replacing the president),
besides that, an expert of international organizations never raised
such a question on legislation, that the prime minister in-office
cannot be a presidential candidate. Besides that, in order to get
an exhaustive answer to the question on different opportunities of
coverage one of the European structures has been invited to hold
monitoring and present its data.
At the meeting the sides touched upon the role of the police, courts
at the pre-electoral period and in the aspect of organization of
elections, clarified their role and the issues concerning their
functions.
The members of the Armenian delegation to PACE in the National
Assembly met the members of the Pre-election mission of PACE Ad hoc
Committee to observe the presidential elections, headed by Mr. John
Prescott. Ms. Bojana Urumova, Special Representative of the Council
of Europe Secretary General to Armenia participated in the meeting.
Mr. Prescott noted that they had meetings with the presidential
candidates Mr. Levon Ter-Petrosyan and Mr. Artur Baghdasaryan,
who expressed their dissatisfaction in connection with broadcast
time and some cases of terrorism. In Mr. Prescott's opinion, as it
is election campaigning, then it is possible that the candidates
present more than it is in reality. Mr. Prescott was surprised that
the terms power candidate and opposition candidate are used. The
delegation also met with the head of OSCE/ODIHR office: tomorrow
the first intermediate report of the office will be published. In
the impression of the delegation members after the publication of
the report of every group observing the elections a positive move
is recorded. The head of the mission expressed conviction that the
upcoming elections will record positive step, and the real assessment
of the elections can be given only after elections.
Welcoming the guests Mr. Davit Harutyunyan, head of the Armenian
delegation to PACE, chairman of the NA Standing Committee on State
and Legal Affairs highlighted the fact that the situation is free
in the country in connection with mass media. Mr. Harutyunyan noted
with regret that during the parliamentary elections a monitoring
was held of electronic media through Caucasus Media Institute,
trustworthy organization by PACE, but this time it will not be
held. In his words, the representatives of power and opposition
referred to the data presented by Caucasus Media Institute with
confidence. The next important step, according to Mr. Harutyunyan,
is to put a stamp in the passports of the voting persons, which will
exclude double voting. The reforms made in the judicial system -
is also an important step in the direction of holding democratic
elections: from now the electoral disputes will be examined not in
ordinary courts, but in administrative courts. In Mr. Harutyunyan's
conviction, mechanisms are imported, which give opportunity not only to
hold elections at due level, but also create public confidence toward
the due process of elections. In his words Armenia is standing before
the serious changes, and those elections are possible only in case,
when the people trust the results of the elections.
Referring to the opposition's accusations on providing unequal
broadcast time Mr. Avet Adonts, member of delegation, Chairman of
the NA Standing Committee on European Integration, noted that the
studies show that some candidates of opposition have more broadcast
time than the candidate of power.
At the meeting other issues regarding the electoral processes were
discussed.