Last Chance For Armenian Authorities To Avoid ‘Egyptian Scenario’: A

LAST CHANCE FOR ARMENIAN AUTHORITIES TO AVOID ‘EGYPTIAN SCENARIO’: ANALYST

epress.am
01.20.2012

Speaking at a forum jointly organized by the Armenian Revolutionary
Federation (Dashnaktsutyun or ARF-D) and Heritage Party today aimed at
realizing their plan to conduct the upcoming parliamentary elections
using a 100% proportional system, Levon Zurabyan, who coordinates
the Armenian National Congress’ (HAK) day-to-day affairs, welcomed
the parties’ unprecedented unity to initiate this amendment in the
Electoral Code.

“If you don’t take action, the will of the people again and again will
be violated during the upcoming elections. It’s because of election
fraud that an incident such as Mar. 1 [2008, when national police
and military forces, called in to disperse the crowds protesting the
presidential election, used “excessive force and violence” which left
10 people dead] became possible,” he said.

The senior HAK representative recalled that amendments to the Electoral
Code always had HAK’s attention: in 2010, the opposition bloc presented
a package of 7 proposed amendments to the Council of Europe.

“We will be holding a national rally on Feb. 17 dedicated to Electoral
Code amendments. We’ve also planned for a rally on those days when
this legislative package will be discussed in parliament,” he said.

Political analyst Andranik Tevanyan also voiced his support for the
proposed legislative amendments at the forum. “Being against the
proportional system, the ruling parties accept that they don’t have
the votes. Their campaign is based on the statement that they’ll fight
against oligarchs, but they don’t want to get rid of the majority
system with which oligarchs get elected to parliament. I am against
Egyptian developments happening in our country – moving to a 100%
proportional system is the last chance for authorities to avoid such
a prospect, ” Tevanyan said.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress