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Armenia votes in parliamentary elections
A campaign rally of the governing Republican Party was marred by the
explosion of gas balloons Continue reading the main story
BBC
6 May 2012
Armenians are voting to elect a new parliament, with the authorities
hoping to avoid a repeat of the violence that followed the 2008
presidential vote.
The Republican Party of President Serge Sarkisian and the Prosperous
Armenia party - both in the governing coalition - are seen as the main
contenders.
The main opposition force is the Armenian National Congress, founded
by ex-President Levon Ter-Petrosyan.
Opposition groups have already voiced concern about irregularities.
President Sarkisian insisted the vote would be fair.
"We have managed to turn the political fight into a fair competition,"
he told supporters during campaigning, according to the Reuters news
agency.
Vote fraud concerns
Ahead of the vote, about 150 suffered burn injuries when gas-filled
balloons exploded during a campaign rally of the Republican Party.
The vote is being monitored by about 300 observers from the
Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).
In an interim report on the election, the OSCE mission said the
candidates had been able to campaign freely, but noted that there had
been cases of illegal campaigning in schools on behalf of the
governing Republican Party.
Opposition parties have voiced concern that there are signs of
possible multiple voting and inflated voters' lists.
After the 2008 presidential election, thousands of opposition
supporters took to the streets to complain of fraud after then Prime
Minister Serge Sarkisian was declared the winner.
A three-week state of emergency declared and police dispersed the
demonstrations amid arrests and accusations of excessive force. Ten
people died in the unrest.
Mr Sarkisian's losing predecessor, Levon Ter-Petrosyan, went on to
found the main opposition Armenian National Congress, which has
organised regular street protests against the president.
European observers said the last parliamentary vote, in 2008,
generally meet international standards. The Republican Party emerged
from the election as the largest party, with almost 33% of the vote.
Unemployment and poverty have been the main focus of the campaign.
Armenian's economy was badly hit by the 2008-9 global financial
crisis, and remains hobbled by a trade blockade imposed by
neighbouring Turkey and Azerbaijan since the 1990s conflict with
Azerbaijan over the territory of Nagorno-Karabakh.
A campaign rally of the governing Republican Party was marred by the
explosion of gas balloons Continue reading the main story
BBC
6 May 2012
Armenians are voting to elect a new parliament, with the authorities
hoping to avoid a repeat of the violence that followed the 2008
presidential vote.
The Republican Party of President Serge Sarkisian and the Prosperous
Armenia party - both in the governing coalition - are seen as the main
contenders.
The main opposition force is the Armenian National Congress, founded
by ex-President Levon Ter-Petrosyan.
Opposition groups have already voiced concern about irregularities.
President Sarkisian insisted the vote would be fair.
"We have managed to turn the political fight into a fair competition,"
he told supporters during campaigning, according to the Reuters news
agency.
Vote fraud concerns
Ahead of the vote, about 150 suffered burn injuries when gas-filled
balloons exploded during a campaign rally of the Republican Party.
The vote is being monitored by about 300 observers from the
Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).
In an interim report on the election, the OSCE mission said the
candidates had been able to campaign freely, but noted that there had
been cases of illegal campaigning in schools on behalf of the
governing Republican Party.
Opposition parties have voiced concern that there are signs of
possible multiple voting and inflated voters' lists.
After the 2008 presidential election, thousands of opposition
supporters took to the streets to complain of fraud after then Prime
Minister Serge Sarkisian was declared the winner.
A three-week state of emergency declared and police dispersed the
demonstrations amid arrests and accusations of excessive force. Ten
people died in the unrest.
Mr Sarkisian's losing predecessor, Levon Ter-Petrosyan, went on to
found the main opposition Armenian National Congress, which has
organised regular street protests against the president.
European observers said the last parliamentary vote, in 2008,
generally meet international standards. The Republican Party emerged
from the election as the largest party, with almost 33% of the vote.
Unemployment and poverty have been the main focus of the campaign.
Armenian's economy was badly hit by the 2008-9 global financial
crisis, and remains hobbled by a trade blockade imposed by
neighbouring Turkey and Azerbaijan since the 1990s conflict with
Azerbaijan over the territory of Nagorno-Karabakh.