Opposition MP: Vote buying rates up ahead of parliamentary electionsFebruary 24, 2017 - 14:58 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Vote buying rates have surged ahead of parliamentary elections in Armenia, at least half of voters are ready to accept bribes, opposition MP Levon Zurabyan told reporters on Friday, February 24. Elections are slated for April 2, with nine parties and blocks having submitted candidates’ lists to the Central Electoral Commission. “Publication of voter lists tackles the issue of 500-600.000 previously falsified signatures,” said Zurabyan who is currently heading the Armenian National Congress parliamentary faction. “This means we have deprived the authorities of the possibility and freedom to falsify half a million votes.” Also, he stressed that cameras were installed in 1500 out of the 2000 polling stations overall, which covers 93% of voters. “In fact, the move makes electoral fraud in polling stations - I mean voting instead of another person - nearly impossible,” Zurabyan added. According to him, however, the introduction of new monitoring mechanisms has brought about another problem. “Vote buying rates have increased as the authorities have come to realise that electoral fraud is the only way out.” Zurabyan went on to say that 50-60% of voters are ready to sell their voices in exchange for bribes. Top stories The Cabinet of Ministers decided on Thursday, November 9 to allocated AMD 120 million to arrange the gathering. Michael Roth believes sanctions must be put on the table after Baku‘s ethnic cleansing in Nagorno-Karabakh. The Yerevan City Council has elected Tigran Avniyan from the ruling Civil Contract as the mayor of the Armenian capital. The Armenian Parliament on Tuesday, October 3 voted to ratify the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. Partner news | Biden honors resilience of Armenian people on April 24 U.S. President Joe Biden has issued a statement on the 109th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. Ex-Karabakh leader moved to solitary confinement cell in Baku, his son says David Vardanyan is the son of former Karabakh leader Ruben Vardanyan who who is currently imprisoned in Azerbaijan. Macron says France commemorates 109th anniv. of Armenian genocide Today France commemorates the 109th anniversary of the Armenian genocide of 1915, Macron says. Freedom House concerned by mounting reports of police violence in Armenia Freedom House urged Armenian authorities to investigate this pattern of excessive force and inhumane treatment. |