US CONCERNED BY ‘SERIOUS VIOLATIONS’ IN ARMENIAN VOTE .
The Sunday Times Sri Lanka
Feb 21 2013
Thursday, 21 February 2013 11:24 .WASHINGTON, Feb 20, 2013 (AFP) –
The United States voiced concern Wednesday over “serious violations”
in Armenia’s electoral process after President Serzh Sarkisian was
re-elected.
Thousands of opposition supporters rallied in the Armenian capital
earlier against Sarkisian’s victory in elections seen as a crucial
democratic test for the former Soviet state.
“We agree with the findings that while election day was calm and
orderly, it was marked by undue interference in the process, mainly
by proxies representing the incumbent, and some serious violations,
including cases of pressure on voters,” Nuland said.
Observers from the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly said the election was
an improvement on past polls but lacked real competition after two
leading candidates pulled out late last year.
The United States shares those concerns over “a lack of impartiality on
the part of the public administration and the misuse of administrative
resources that resulted in a blurred distinction between the activities
of the state and those of the ruling party,” Nuland said.
Sarkisian won Monday’s elections with 58.64% of the votes against his
top challenger Raffi Hovannisian’s 36.75%, according to the central
election commission.
“We urge law enforcement officials to investigate and to take
appropriate action in response to credible reporting of election
violations, and we call on all parties to remain calm in this
post-election period and to exercise restraint in their actions,”
Nuland said.
From: A. Papazian