"OBSERVERS ARE USUALLY REPRESENTATIVES OF PARLIAMENTARY AND HUMAN RIGHTS ORGANIZATIONS"
KarabakhOpen
18-05-2007 18:14:44
The pre-election period in Karabakh is "pending". The registration
of initiative groups of candidates is over, the registration of
candidates will start on May 30 and finish on June 19. The campaign
starts June 20.
A month ago the parliament adopted 124 amendments to the Electoral
Code, which have not been signed by the president. Apparently,
it affects the rhythm of the pre-election process. Nevertheless,
work goes on – the voters’ registers are being made, observers and
journalists are being registered, documents are being prepared.
The chair of the Central Electoral Commission Sergey Nasibyan said in
an interview with the KarabakhOpen that according to the amended code
the Police Visa and Passport Service is in charge of the preparation
of voters’ registers.
The work started two months ago, and the head of the Service has
already held a meeting with the heads of the departments. The local
governments also help about the registers, especially in cases when a
citizen is registered at one address but lives in another place. "We
have already held consultations in Askeran, Shushi, Hadrut and
Martuni. Martakert, Kashatagh and Shahumyan are in line. The voters’
registers must be ready by June 1 to be hung at polling stations. It
will facilitate eliminating the shortcomings," Sergey Nasibyan said.
The head of the CEC said about 500 polling booths have been
ordered. "285 polling stations will be set up. We have clear ballot
boxes from the previous voting. On the whole, 65.5 million drams has
been allocated for the election," Sergey Nasibyan said.
The election is valid if over 25 percent of voters vote. The candidate
who gets over 50 percent of votes is elected. If no candidate gets
over 50 percent, the second round will be held two weeks later. Two
candidates with the highest number of votes will run in the second
round. The candidate who gets over 50 percent is elected.
"The election will be invalid if the irregularities affect the
outcome of the voting. Or if the number of irregularities exceeds
the difference between the votes of candidates," said the chair of
the CEC. The evaluation of the international observers may not have
legal or political validity for the recognition of the voting. "But
their observation will help improve the electoral legislation. For
instance, part of the recent amendments to the Electoral Code were
"prompted" by the international observers. By the way, as a result
of these amendments, proxies, observers and the media now have more
rights," Sergey Nasibyan emphasized.
The right to invite observers is vested in the president, the
parliament, the government and the CEC. "We do invite international
observers but they avoid visiting Karabakh. The observers are usually
representatives of parliamentary and human rights organizations. This
time the CEC asked the CEC of Armenia and the Iranian ambassador to
Armenia to send observers. As far as I know, there was no official
confirmation, there is agreement reached in private talks," Sergey
Nasibyan said.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
