ELECTIONS IN ARMENIA DO NOT FIT DEMOCRATIC STANDARDS, EUROPEAN OBSERVERS CONSIDER

PanARMENIAN.Net - The elections in Armenia do not fit democratic standards. As reported by "Arka" agency, head of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (OSCE/ODIHR) observation mission in Armenia Peter Eicher and head of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), former PACE chairman Lord Russell-Johnston stated today. In their words, the Armenian legislation provides ground for holding democratic elections, and the technical preparation to the second round was rather fruitful. "However, the period between the two tours of the elections was marked with significant breaches in presenting the vote returns by the central electoral commission, in the process of appealing against them, as well as with the atmosphere created on the threshold of the second round," - P.Eicher said. The observers noted that new transgressions were registered after their making of an initial statement expressing concern over the shortcomings of the first round. "The delayed reporting of results by the central electoral commission contributed to the growing mistrust towards the data presented," - P.Eicher stated. Speaking of the second round the observers noted that the atmosphere exacerbated due to the administrative arrests, which are contrary to the CE standards and the commitments Armenia pledged to the OSCE. "Moreover, many opposition leaders have made unrestrained and in some cases instigating statements," - P.Eicher said. European observers also noted positive shifts - the active participation of the population in the electoral campaign, their interest in the political life of the country, as well as the holding of a TV debate between the two candidates. "Serious violations were registered, but the final assessment of the elections will depend on the further process of counting the votes and the efficiency of the appeal," - P.Eicher stated. In his turn, L.Russell-Johnston noted that all processes mainly resembled the first round, "when a successful first day of the elections was followed by an unsatisfactory counting of votes."