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LEAD: ARMENIAN PRESIDENT RE-ELECTED IN VOTE DEEMED FAIR
Deutsche Presse-Agentur, Germany
February 19, 2013 Tuesday 1:13 PM EST
Yerevan (dpa) - The vote that led to the re-election of Armenian
President Serzh Sargsyan was "generally well-administered" noted the
Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) on Tuesday.
Sargsyan's re-election was officially confirmed by the election
commission Tuesday, with 58.64 per cent of the vote. Advance polls
had indicated he would win with a large margin over the other six
candidates.
"These elections have shown once again that our people can stand
together at key moment and make the right decisions," Sargsyan,
who is now set to hold office until 2018, told local media.
Former foreign minister Raffi Hovannisian was second with 36.75 per
cent after all the votes were counted. He has announced plans to
contest the vote, pointing to what the OSCE calls isolated incidents
of pressure upon voters.
Police have recorded more than 100 complaints of irregularities.
But the international observer team generally gave the elections
high marks.
"We have observed a calm election day, characterized by no major
difficulties in electoral procedures," stated Milan Cabrnoch, the head
of the European Parliament delegation helping to monitor the polls.
However, he noted a lack of debate leading up to the polls, largely
because some key groups had boycotted the elections.
The OSCE noted that the monitors said the election showed improvements
from previous Armenian elections. In 2008, at least 10 people died
during election violence.
Aside from the shooting of candidate Paruir Airikian, on February 1,
this election was largely peaceful, they said. Airikian was badly
wounded, but did not suspend his candidacy.
However, monitors also expressed some concern that the ruling party
had not taken enough effort to clearly delineate government work from
campaign activities.
"The blurring of the distinction between the state and the ruling
party continues to be an issue," said Heidi Tagliavini, head of the
OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights. "This was
demonstrated in the misuse of administrative resources, pressure
on voters, and a lack of impartiality on the part of the public
administration."
Turnout in the poll was 60.05 per cent, according to official
statements.
Sargsyan, a pro-Russian who came to power in 2008, is limited to two
terms by law.
Feb 19 13 1313 GMT
From: Baghdasarian
Deutsche Presse-Agentur, Germany
February 19, 2013 Tuesday 1:13 PM EST
Yerevan (dpa) - The vote that led to the re-election of Armenian
President Serzh Sargsyan was "generally well-administered" noted the
Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) on Tuesday.
Sargsyan's re-election was officially confirmed by the election
commission Tuesday, with 58.64 per cent of the vote. Advance polls
had indicated he would win with a large margin over the other six
candidates.
"These elections have shown once again that our people can stand
together at key moment and make the right decisions," Sargsyan,
who is now set to hold office until 2018, told local media.
Former foreign minister Raffi Hovannisian was second with 36.75 per
cent after all the votes were counted. He has announced plans to
contest the vote, pointing to what the OSCE calls isolated incidents
of pressure upon voters.
Police have recorded more than 100 complaints of irregularities.
But the international observer team generally gave the elections
high marks.
"We have observed a calm election day, characterized by no major
difficulties in electoral procedures," stated Milan Cabrnoch, the head
of the European Parliament delegation helping to monitor the polls.
However, he noted a lack of debate leading up to the polls, largely
because some key groups had boycotted the elections.
The OSCE noted that the monitors said the election showed improvements
from previous Armenian elections. In 2008, at least 10 people died
during election violence.
Aside from the shooting of candidate Paruir Airikian, on February 1,
this election was largely peaceful, they said. Airikian was badly
wounded, but did not suspend his candidacy.
However, monitors also expressed some concern that the ruling party
had not taken enough effort to clearly delineate government work from
campaign activities.
"The blurring of the distinction between the state and the ruling
party continues to be an issue," said Heidi Tagliavini, head of the
OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights. "This was
demonstrated in the misuse of administrative resources, pressure
on voters, and a lack of impartiality on the part of the public
administration."
Turnout in the poll was 60.05 per cent, according to official
statements.
Sargsyan, a pro-Russian who came to power in 2008, is limited to two
terms by law.
Feb 19 13 1313 GMT
From: Baghdasarian