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HUNGER-STRIKING CANDIDATE FOR PRESIDENT DEMANDS OSCE OBSERVERS LEAVE ARMENIA
Interfax
Russia
Feb 11 2013
A candidate for president of Armenia who has been on a hunger strike
since January 21 demands that election observers from the Organization
for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) be expelled from
the country because they "are deluding our public by claiming that
elections in Armenia meet European democratic standards."
"International observer missions such as the Office for Democratic
Institutions and Human Rights of the Organization for Security and
Cooperation in Europe [ODIHR/OSCE] are deluding our public by claiming
that elections in Armenia meet European democratic standards," Andrias
Gukasian told reporters on the site of his strike in the center of
capital city Yerevan.
"Does it mean that pre-election bribes are handed out in Europe as
well, that the candidate from the establishment [incumbent President
Serzh Sargsyan] is making use of his administrative resources there
as well in order to falsify the elections? The mission must pick up
its belongings and leave Armenia immediately," Gukasian said.
What the ODIHR mission is doing in Armenia "has nothing to do with
democracy and pursues purely political ends," he said.
On Monday, Gukasian had a visit from Health Minister Aik Darbinian,
who urged him to end his strike and have a checkup in the hospital.
The candidate refused.
Gukasian told reporters he was determined to continue his strike
until the election day, February 18.
He demands that the Central Election Commission take Sargsyan off
the candidates' list and send the international observers out of the
country. The commission claims it is not authorized to do either.
as rb
Interfax
Russia
Feb 11 2013
A candidate for president of Armenia who has been on a hunger strike
since January 21 demands that election observers from the Organization
for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) be expelled from
the country because they "are deluding our public by claiming that
elections in Armenia meet European democratic standards."
"International observer missions such as the Office for Democratic
Institutions and Human Rights of the Organization for Security and
Cooperation in Europe [ODIHR/OSCE] are deluding our public by claiming
that elections in Armenia meet European democratic standards," Andrias
Gukasian told reporters on the site of his strike in the center of
capital city Yerevan.
"Does it mean that pre-election bribes are handed out in Europe as
well, that the candidate from the establishment [incumbent President
Serzh Sargsyan] is making use of his administrative resources there
as well in order to falsify the elections? The mission must pick up
its belongings and leave Armenia immediately," Gukasian said.
What the ODIHR mission is doing in Armenia "has nothing to do with
democracy and pursues purely political ends," he said.
On Monday, Gukasian had a visit from Health Minister Aik Darbinian,
who urged him to end his strike and have a checkup in the hospital.
The candidate refused.
Gukasian told reporters he was determined to continue his strike
until the election day, February 18.
He demands that the Central Election Commission take Sargsyan off
the candidates' list and send the international observers out of the
country. The commission claims it is not authorized to do either.
as rb