"PASSPORTS-2007" OPERATION TO CONTINUE DURING 2008 ELECTIONS AS WELL, HEGHINE BISHARIAN CONSIDERS

Noyan Tapan
Jan 16 2007

YEREVAN, JANUARY 16, NOYAN TAPAN. Electoral violations are committed
in all populated areas of the country even before the start of
the official election campaign of the February 19 presidential
elections. Heghine Bisharian, the head of the central preelection
headquarters of Artur Baghdasarian, the Chairman of the Orinats Yerkir
(Country of Law) party, a candidate for presidency offered by OYP,
stated at the January 16 press conference. In her words, village heads
phone OYP members and say that they have received an order "from above"
to ensure 70-90% votes for RPA candidate, Prime Minister Serge Sargsian
in the elections. Besides village heads, according to H. Bisharian,
regional governors, mayors, school headmasters, hospitals’ chief
physicians, and other employees of state institutions have also
received an order of "acting" in favor of the pro-governmental
candidate under the threat of being deprived of their job.

Besides, according to H. Bisharian, an unintelligible, unfounded big
sum, 170m drams (nearly 550 thousand USD) is envisaged by the 2008
budget for printing new passports. "No one explains what we will
do with so many new passports, has the number of 16-year-old people
increased so abruptly or if there is some other reason," H. Bisharian
asked with bewilderment. She added that in all probability, the
authorities are going to use the mechanism "put into operation"
during the 2007 elections, when forged passports were put into
circulation. "Therefore, the "Passports-2007" operation will also
continue in 2008," the OYP Vice-Chairwoman said.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress