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Armenian Opposition Party Upbeat On Election Prospects


Armenia -- Former President Levon Ter-Petrosian speaks at an Armenian National Congress (HAK) rally, Masis, 16Apr2012
Armenia -- Former President Levon Ter-Petrosian speaks at an Armenian National Congress (HAK) rally, Masis, 16Apr2012

Armenia’s main opposition party has struck an optimistic note about the prospects of achieving a democratic change as a result of next year’s parliamentary elections.

In a statement released on Monday, the Armenian National Congress (HAK) party led by former president Levon Ter-Petrosian said that “serious and fundamental prerequisites have been created for a change of government, the formation of legitimate authorities and establishment of true democracy in Armenia during the 2017 elections to the National Assembly.”

Along with three other opposition parties the HAK negotiated major amendments to the country’s Electoral Code that were overwhelmingly passed by the National Assembly last week.

The party believes the changes that, in particular, stipulate post-election publication of signed voter lists and allow live online broadcasts of voting and ballot counting in all polling stations, will help essentially preclude major fraud during the elections.

“Although the authorities retain the possibility of illegally influencing the outcome of the elections by means of vote buying and widespread use of administrative resources enabled by the introduction of so-called territorial rating lists, and in this sense the new Electoral Code is far from being perfect, still as a result of the pressure of the opposition and civil society on the government achieved was substantial progress that led to changes that as a single complex make it possible to deprive the authorities of the opportunity to rig the elections by means of 500,000 false “votes”, to exclude multiple voting, ballot-box stuffing, vote-stealing, violence against voters, proxies, observers and journalists.”

Considering this, the HAK Board, which met on Saturday, announced the start of preparations for a campaign to be conducted ahead of the next parliamentary elections due in April.

Amendments made in Armenia’s Constitution in 2015 turned the country into a parliamentary republic, meaning that the April ballot will largely determine the next government. Considering the fact that “by their significance the 2017 elections will be equal to presidential elections”, the HAK declared that it is ready to cooperate with all parties and groups seeking a regime change and the establishment of a legitimate government and democracy in Armenia through elections, as well as to cooperate with public figures, civic initiatives, entrepreneurs and individuals, also through their inclusion in the party’s slate.

“Being convinced that without active participation of the people it is impossible to achieve any change, all steps will be initiated to ensure the broadest possible public consolidation around the ideas of a regime change and drastic reforms in the country,” the HAK concluded.

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