“It can be said that Armenia’s [new] National Assembly has been formed through widespread vote buying and use of administrative resources,” “Zhamanak” says, commenting on the outcome of the April 2 parliamentary elections. “These two factors had the most serious impact on the election results. In addition, there was the personal influence of individual candidates. As a result, the ruling HHK gained a stable majority [in the parliament.]” It also says that the five opposition forces defeated in the elections should now ask themselves whether “they really did everything to win public trust.”
“168 Zham” says that “almost all traditional methods of electoral violation” were used in Sunday’s elections, including vote bribes, busing of voters and voter intimidation. “But those irregularities were mainly committed outside polling stations,” writes the paper. “Within the polling stations themselves, there were no falsifications that affected the election results. In this sense, the newly formed parliament will be ‘technically’ legitimate.”
“Zhamanak” says that Armenian elections continue to be adversely influenced by factors such as “underdeveloped political system,” “underdeveloped civic consciousness,” and “non-existent constitutional order.” As a result of that, it says, the public is not faced with “collective and rational issues” on the political arena.
“Chorrord Ishkhanutyun” scoffs at President Serzh Sarkisian’s highly positive assessment of the Armenian parliamentary race and, in particular, his claim that it was a “very nice contest.” The paper says that large-scale vote buying by the HHK made mockery of Sarkisian’s statement.
“For the first time after 1991, election results in Armenia have been recognized by all participating political forces,” writes “Haykakan Zhamanak.” “The opposition had not recognized the official results of all elections held since 1996, alleging widespread fraud and launching post-election protests that never yielded results.”
“Aravot” also takes note of this “historic fact.” “All major political forces that participated in the elections have stated, directly or through intermediaries, that they accept the election results,” editorializes the paper.
(Tigran Avetisian)
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