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THE ADDRESSES HAVE CHANGED, BUT THE VOTER REGISTRATION LISTS HAVE REMAINED THE SAME; FIRST CASES OF ELECTION FRAUD
http://www.aravot.am/en/2013/01/17/150594/
JANUARY 17, 2013 14:51
The Central Election Commission (CEC) has accredited 6 local
organizations to carry out a monitoring mission in the February
18 presidential election. Those organizations are Martuni Women's
Community Council, Capacity and Development for Civil Society,
Harmony, Helsinki Citizens' Assembly Vanadzor Office, Democracy
and Electoral Processes and the Armenian Center for Democratic
Education-CIVITAS. www.aravot.am found out during a conversation
with representatives of those organizations that some problems with
organization of the presidential election had already been recorded.
Artur Sakunts, the head of Helsinki Citizens' Assembly Vanadzor Office,
singled out the issue of the election deposit and went into detail:
"According to the Constitution, everyone has a right to announce
his candidacy. In the conditions - who can announce his candidacy -
there is no mention about the size of the election deposit. However,
considering the international practice, the size of the election
deposit in our country doesn't correspond to the situation in which
our country is. Another problem is that not all candidates have equal
resources for representation. Someone has governmental, administrative
resources, the others don't have them.
Therefore, there are unequal conditions, to begin with. The situation
in the country is unprecedented, since the whole government apparatus
is intertwined with the Republican Party."
Anahit Gevorgyan, the head of Martuni Women's Community Council,
informed that the change of addresses in towns had caused confusion
among them. She went into detail: "We are clearing up the voter
registration lists. We have a big problem. The addresses in towns
have changed, but those addresses haven't been changed on the voter
registration lists yet. For example, 8 Proshyan has become 10 Proshyan,
but on the registration list, it is still 8 Proshyan.
Therefore, they say that this man doesn't live at 10 Proshyan; as a
result, there is confusion."
We inquired whether one could notice pressure on voters and observers,
inequality between candidates' capacity for representation for the
moment. Ms. Gevorgyan replied: "For the moment, we have a lifeless,
static situation. However, during the previous elections, they would
photograph, watch, notice those who had gone to the oppositionists'
meetings, they would visit their homes, frighten, asking why they
had gone to the rally of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF)
or the Congress."
Tatev HARUTYUNYAN
http://www.aravot.am/en/2013/01/17/150594/
JANUARY 17, 2013 14:51
The Central Election Commission (CEC) has accredited 6 local
organizations to carry out a monitoring mission in the February
18 presidential election. Those organizations are Martuni Women's
Community Council, Capacity and Development for Civil Society,
Harmony, Helsinki Citizens' Assembly Vanadzor Office, Democracy
and Electoral Processes and the Armenian Center for Democratic
Education-CIVITAS. www.aravot.am found out during a conversation
with representatives of those organizations that some problems with
organization of the presidential election had already been recorded.
Artur Sakunts, the head of Helsinki Citizens' Assembly Vanadzor Office,
singled out the issue of the election deposit and went into detail:
"According to the Constitution, everyone has a right to announce
his candidacy. In the conditions - who can announce his candidacy -
there is no mention about the size of the election deposit. However,
considering the international practice, the size of the election
deposit in our country doesn't correspond to the situation in which
our country is. Another problem is that not all candidates have equal
resources for representation. Someone has governmental, administrative
resources, the others don't have them.
Therefore, there are unequal conditions, to begin with. The situation
in the country is unprecedented, since the whole government apparatus
is intertwined with the Republican Party."
Anahit Gevorgyan, the head of Martuni Women's Community Council,
informed that the change of addresses in towns had caused confusion
among them. She went into detail: "We are clearing up the voter
registration lists. We have a big problem. The addresses in towns
have changed, but those addresses haven't been changed on the voter
registration lists yet. For example, 8 Proshyan has become 10 Proshyan,
but on the registration list, it is still 8 Proshyan.
Therefore, they say that this man doesn't live at 10 Proshyan; as a
result, there is confusion."
We inquired whether one could notice pressure on voters and observers,
inequality between candidates' capacity for representation for the
moment. Ms. Gevorgyan replied: "For the moment, we have a lifeless,
static situation. However, during the previous elections, they would
photograph, watch, notice those who had gone to the oppositionists'
meetings, they would visit their homes, frighten, asking why they
had gone to the rally of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF)
or the Congress."
Tatev HARUTYUNYAN