In their 26 April issues Armenian newspapers reported on the formation of the new Central and Regional Electoral Commissions. April 25 was the last day for the functioning of the 1995-99 Central and Regional Electoral Commissions. On April 26, a new Central Election Commission (CEC) was formed and it has 13 members. As the Electoral Code stipulates, three members were appointed by the Government. One member of each of those five parties or blocs running on proportional party lists (Rule of Law Country, Homeland bloc, The Armenian Revolutionary Federation, Powerful Homeland, The Unity bloc) that collected the most valid citizen signatures in support of their National Assembly campaigns were included in the new Commission. The remaining five members represent the five parties (National Democratic Union, Armenian National Movement, Shamiram, Communist Party of Armenia, Union of Self-Determination) that have factions in the current National Assembly.
The membership and composition of the new Central Electoral Commission is:
Majoritarian Candidates’ Registration Denied
Representatives of the Union of Intellectuals and Socialists Forces Bloc held a press conference on 26 April complaining that two members of the Bloc, Galina Chernousova and Grisha Asatryan, along with Garnik Isangulyan, President of the National Security Party, allegedly were illegally denied registration in #31(Ararat Marz), #11(Yerevan) and #29 (Ararat Marz) electoral districts by the Regional Electoral Commissions. As reported in Hayots Ashkhar, Eduard Mamigonyan, lawyer and President of the Avangard Humanitarian Research Center, claimed that the registration denial of the three majoritarian candidates is a violation of the law and expressed the readiness of its organization to protect the legal rights of the candidates in court.
Candidates Meet to Discuss Cooperation to Ensure Free and Fair Elections
Oragir, Aravot, and Hayots Ashkhar in their Tuesday issues reported that the majoritarian candidates of Electoral District 11 in Yerevan gathered by the initiative of Rouben Torossyan, who is also one of the deputy candidates of that electoral district, in order to "try to come to agreement on the rules of the game." While all 11 candidates of #11 electoral district were invited only 5 candidates participated. Among them was Kosrov Harutiunyan, chairman of the National Assembly. As Torossyan explained, the aim of the meeting is to mobilize their efforts to ensure free and fair elections in their district. Torossyan mentioned that he has already have three complaints to three candidates as they violated the rules of electoral campaign. Candidates of #11 electoral district agreed to meet regularly to try to work together and expressed their belief that their experience would serve as an example for other districts.
Oragir daily questioned the meetings since free and fair election is guaranteed by the Armenian Constitution and laws and concluded that "this is proof that Constitutional order does not function, there is no state governing system and there is anarchy in Armenia."
Attack on Azatutiun Party District Office
On 27 April Oragir daily published an announcement from the Azatutiun Party’s press service. It stated that on the night of April 25 the party’s district headquarters office in Yerevan was attacked and the windows of the office were broken. The party accused Eduard Madatyan (with the nick name Khujuj Edo) who is a majoritarian candidate in the #9 electoral district in Yerevan. The President of the Azatutiun Party Hrant Bagratyan (Prime Minister of ROA 1993-96) is also a majoritarian candidate in that district. In Aravot daily Eduard Madatyan denied his involvement in the attack.
Election of New Central Electoral Commission Chairman
In their April 28 issues most newspapers reported about the meeting of the new CEC where its Chairman was elected. The elections of the new CEC Chairman was the only point of that meeting agenda. With 10 votes for, 2 abstentions (AIM+ and Homeland Blocs), and 1 no vote (NDU), the CEC elected Artak Sahradian, government representative, as its Chairman. Vanya Mkhitarian, Communist Party of Armenia representative in CEC was elected as Vice-Chairman and Armenouhi Zohrabian, the other representative of the government, as the Secretary of CEC – a post she held in the old CEC. Both Mr. Mkhitarian and Ms. Zohrabian were elected by unanimous vote.
Regional Election Commission Chairmen Elected
Yerkir, Hayots Ashkharh, Aravot and Zhamanak reported on the elections of Regional Election Commission Chairpersons. In all regions except Syunik and in Yerevan, representatives of the government were elected as Commission Chairmen. In Syunik, Slavik Haroutiunian, representative of the AIM+Bloc, was elected as Chairman of the Regional Election Commission. However, as Yerkir and Aravot reported 7 members of the Commission representing the government, Unity bloc, Rule of Law Party, Powerful Homeland and Shamiram Parties are boycotting the Commission's work in an effort to change the election of Haroutiunian.
Denied Candidate's Press Conference
Hayots Ashkhar, Aravot, Oragir and Azg reported on a press conference held by Garnik Isagulian, Chairman of the National Security Party. Isagulian candidacy was denied registration in Electoral District 29 of Ararat Marz. Mr. Isagulian reported that he was denied not because of formal reasons (hiding his income or no proof that he was living in Armenia during the past five years), but for political reasons. The real reason, according to him, was that his candidacy was not approved by Defense Minister Vazgen Sarkissian, who is listed second on the Unity Bloc’s party list.
The April 29 issues of several dailies reported that on April 28 the Masis First District Court (Ararat Marz) reviewed the suit brought by Isagulyan and ruled as invalid the Ararat Regional Election Commission’s decision denying Isagulyan registration. Hayots Ashkhar reported that on the same day an Artashat city court in the same region made a similar ruling in favor of Galina Chernousova, whose registration as a candidate of the Union of Intellectuals and Socialists Forces Bloc was denied in Electoral District 31.
NDU’s Shavarsh Kocharyan Holds Press Conference
Newspapers on April 29 has stories on a press conference held by Shavarsh Kocharyan, one of the leaders of the National Democratic Union. Kocharyan is a candidate for Electoral District 11 in Yerevan and is listed in fourth place on the NDU’s Party list. Kocharyan said that since the Chairman of CEC and almost all Regional Electoral Commissions (REC) are government representatives, the government should take full responsibility for the May 30 parliamentary elections. He described the negotiations that took place between April 24-26 among 10 parties with representatives in the CEC and RECs. The goal of the negotiations was to exclude the dominance of the government representatives in the Commissions. He explained that the negotiations failed because only five parties -- NDU, ARF, Union of Self-Determination, Communists, and Homeland Bloc agreed. The remaining five parties, according to Kocharyan, "are de facto ensuring the non-accountability of the government and have become the supporters of individuals fighting for power and are essentially serving only to strengthen their positions". The NDU plans to publish a guide on election violations and falsification technologies based on the experience of previous elections
Powerful Homeland Press Conference at the National Press Club
Vahan Vardapetyan and Stepan Margaryan, leaders of the Powerful Homeland Party met with the journalists in a meeting organized by the National Press Club in the framework of its Armenia and Elections program. The speakers presented the party’s mission and stated that Powerful Homeland is liberal right-centrist party. They denied rumors that the party has powerful proteges like the Minister of Defense, Minister of Interior and National Security or the Mayor of Yerevan.