Author: Baghdasarian Karlen

Huffington Post
May 6 2012

Armenia Elections: Armenian Parliamentary Vote A Test For President
Serge Sarkisian

By AVET DEMOURIAN 05/06/12 01:20 PM ET

YEREVAN, Armenia – Armenians voted for a new parliament on Sunday in
an election that the nation’s president hoped would give him a
majority among the lawmakers.

President Serge Sarkisian’s Republican Party was expected to win the
election, but it was aiming for more than half of the seats to avoid
having to form a coalition. The party held 62 of the 131 seats in the
outgoing parliament, just shy of a majority.

The voting also was seen as a test of public support for Sarkisian,
who comes up for re-election next year. Results were expected Monday.

Armenia is the smallest of the former Soviet republics, with about 3.3
million people, but more than double that number of Armenians live
abroad. The largest diasporas are in Russia and the United States.

The Republican Party’s main coalition partner, Prosperous Armenia led
by businessman Gagik Tsarukian, grew increasingly critical of the
president’s party during the campaign in an effort to win enough votes
to force Sarkisian to share power, not only in parliament but also in
the Cabinet.

The opposition Armenian National Congress, led by former President
Levon Ter-Petrosian, also was expected to take seats in parliament.

In casting his ballot early in the day, Ter-Petrosian said he expected
the election would be conducted fairly and if so he would accept the
results. But after polls closed, he said the opposition planned to
protest what he said were violations and might take to the streets.

Ter-Petrosian’s supporters rallied in Yerevan following the February
2008 presidential election, claiming the vote won by Sarkisian was
flawed. The protests turned violent in early March, when clashes with
police left 10 people dead and more than 250 injured.

International observers from the Organization for Security and
Cooperation in Europe said the Armenian government has taken steps in
recent years to foster free and fair elections, including changes to
electoral laws and the introduction of a new online election
monitoring program.

Just under 2.5 million people were eligible to vote in the
parliamentary election, which was contested by nine parties or blocs.

From: Baghdasarian

ITAR-TASS, Russia
May 5, 2012 Saturday 01:45 PM GMT+4

RF embassy offers sympathy to people injured in Yerevan rally fire

YEREVAN May 5

The Russian Embassy in Armenia offered words of sympathy to people
injured in the explosion of the air balloons during an election
campaign concert and a rally here on Saturday, a source in the Russian
embassy told Itar-Tass.

The embassy “conveys the feelings of a deep sympathy and compassion to
people injured in the explosion of the air balloons during a rally and
a concert on May 5 on the Republic Square, as well as their
relatives.” “We wish you the soonest recovery and wellbeing in the
life,” the embassy said in the statement.

On Friday evening at an election campaign rally and a concert of the
ruling Republican Party of Armenia on the Yerevan central square the
lines of the air balloons exploded and the fire broke out. About 150
people got burns, mainly the burns of face and hands, as well as the
lungs.

From: Baghdasarian

Mediamax, Armenia
May 6 2012

`Chuck Norris’ as a phenomenon of the Armenian elections

Yerevan/Mediamax/. A part of the Armenian web “society’ voted for
“Chuck Norris’ at today’s parliamentary elections and announced it
openly.

The thing is that the most active Armenian internet users abouat a
year ago started using the name of the American famous sportsman and
actor Chuck Norris as a collective character of an almighty man.

In particular, many people on the social networks answering quite a
serious question gave the name of Chuck Norris during various surveys.
During the campaign, Chuck Norris’s photos often appeared along with
the real candidates.

As the Electoral Code of the Republic of Armenia doesn’t envisage
`against all’ option on the ballot, many young people added Chuck
Norris’s name by hand and `voted’ for him meaning that they are
against the current candidates and parties.

From: Baghdasarian

Mediamax, Armenia
May 6 2012

RPA member responds to Vardan Oskanyan’s statements

Yerevan/Mediamax/. Deputy head of RPA election headquarters David
Harutyunyan told Mediamax today that the arguments of the member of
“Prosperous Armenia’ Party Vardan Oskanyan don’t bear witness to
election violations or any programmed actions.

`One can make any political statement but he should have the facts. He
(Vardan Oskanyan) particularly points to high voter turnout and says
it’s doubtful. Frankly speaking, I don’t think it bears witness to any
violations or any programmed actions. In particular, if we take into
consideration the fact that the picture at many polling stations is
the same- the voter turnout is indeed very high,’ said David
Harutyunyan.

`I myself was waiting for my turn to vote for almost half an hour. I
didn’t notice anything strange and didn’t see other people at the
polling station, and I don’t think it’s correct to present it as an
argument,’ David Harutyunyan told Mediamax.

From: Baghdasarian

Mediamax, Armenia
May 6 2012

Levon Ter-Petrosyan voted for `good Armenia’

Yerevan /Mediamax/. Today, the first President of Armenia, the leader
of the Armenian National Congress (ANC), Levon Ter-Petrosyan, visited
the Yerevan polling station N9/11 with his family and cast his ballot.

In reply to Mediamax’s question, Levon Ter-Petrosyan said he voted
`for good Armenia’.

When asked whether the ANC leader is pleased with the course of
elections, he said he didn’t hear of any violations yet. He went on
adding that the ANC will accept any results in case the elections are
held normally.

When asked about the state of his health, Levon Ter-Petrosyan said he
felt `brilliant’.

From: Baghdasarian

Mediamax, Armenia
May 6 2012

Raffi Hovhannisyan will give all the assessments tomorrow

Yerevan /Mediamax/. Today, the leader of “Heritage’ Party Raffi
Hovhannisyan voted at 10/06 polling station.

After the voting he said: `I am voting for `Heritage’ and for the future.’

In reply to journalists’ questions he said he would give all the
assessments tomorrow.

From: Baghdasarian

HAK: “Registration of electoral violations-2”

05:42 pm | Today | Politics

The PR headquarters of the Armenian National Congress (HAK) has issued a
press release regarding election fraud.

34/12: There are accumulations and the situation has gotten out of control.
Things got back on track through the HAK’s proxy, which also prepared a
protocol
Source: Murad Grigoryan’s headquarters

34/26: The HAK’s proxy sounded the alarm about an assault against Kentron
TV’s journalist.
Source: Murad Grigoryan’s source

Precinct N 33

Individuals dressed in police uniforms have toured in a bus and have voted
at two-three polling stations. There is a photo and video.
People traveled in cars and took people to vote in Ashotsk. There are
license numbers and photos.
Source: Shaliko Zoryan’s headquarters

Precinct N 32

32/43 12:30: Envelopes were stamped with passport stamps, and passports
were stamped with envelope stamps. A protocol has been prepared and attempt
is being made to stop the elections at that polling station.
Source: Nairi Aroyan’s headquarters

32/28, 32/31, 32/36, 32/54, 32/44, 32/50, 32/52, 32/53, 32/43 13:20: The
ink for stamps that disappear earlier than the time foreseen (12 hours)
haven’t been replaced and the vote continues with the stamp that disappears
shortly.
Source: Nairi Aroyan’s headquarters

31/18 (Vahagni village): The village head and instructed an open vote. The
vote was stopped at 13:00, the situation is tense. A protocol has been
prepared, but the head of the electoral commission (member of “Heritage”
Party) doesn’t accept it.
Source: Sargis Tamazyan’s headquarters

31/28 (Lorut) the situation at the polling station is tense, there is
accumulation. A protocol has been prepared and has been signed by members
of the HAK, the BHK and the ARF-D.
Source: Sargis Tamazyan’s headquarters

6/12 13:50: The package of ballots contained 96 ballots instead of 100. The
commission head refuses to register that fact in the register. The proxy
has prepared a protocol.
Source: Avet Poghosyan’s headquarters

9/2, 9/5, 9/6 Multiple votes, more than 15 people at the polling station.
The head of the electoral commission refuses to accept the protocols.
Source: Levon Zurabyan’s headquarters

7/29 12:49 N. Pashinyan’s proxy sounds the alarm that the head of the
electoral commission is “casting” members of the electoral commissions.
Source: Nikol Pashinyan’s headquarters

7/25 14:27 Samvel Alexanyan’s proxy is surpassing his powers established by
Article 33 of the Electoral Code and has carried out the functions of a
commission member. The head of the commission isn’t controlling the
situation.
Source: Nikol Pashinyan’s headquarters

24/26, 24/27, 24/28 The HAK’s proxies were pushed and shoved and removed
from the polling stations. HAK deputy candidate Spartak Jivanyan is
preparing to file an appeal to the RA Police.
Source: Spartak Jivanyan’s headquarters

23/18, 23/19 (Tsovagyugh), the situation is out of control. Hundreds of
people are at the polling station.
The polling stations in Drakhtik and Tsovagyugh villages haven’t changed
the ink of the stamps that disappear earlier than 12 hours, leading to
multiple votes.
Source: Vardan Jhangiryan’s headquarters

23/07 11:55 Two empty envelopes were found in the voting booth. The ballots
were taken out. The protocol was prepared and signed by members of the HAK,
the ARF-D and BHK. “Heritage” Party members haven’t signed the protocol.
According to the data, members of the Republican Party of Armenia (HHK) are
represented as members of “Heritage” Party.
Source: Vardan Jhangiryan’s headquarters

23/04 An open vote was held, which led to a dispute that has been recorded
on video.
Source: Vardan Jhangiryan’s headquarters

01/02 11:00 The number of voters at the polling station is more than 2,000
on the additional list.
Source: Gayane Arustamyan’s headquarters

01/04 Citizens report that Taron Margaryan’s cars are taking citizens to
the polling station from the HHK headquarters located in the yard of
buildings 84/4, 84/2 and 84/3 buildings on Khudyakov Street. The numbers of
those cars are 22 OT 107, S 0043, S0327, S0347, L3244 of an Opel, there is
also public transportation.
Source: Gayane Arustamyan’s headquarters

01/07 The number of voters according to the list: 1,870 proportional
electoral order, 1,912 majoritarian electoral order
Source: Gayane Arustamyan’s headquarters

From: Baghdasarian

Leaders of three parties come to united headquarters not waiting for
the end of the voting

20:29 . 06/05

The election day hadn’t still finished when ANC leader Levon
Ter-Petrosyan, PAP leader Gagik Tsarukyan, ARF-D Armenia Supreme Body
representative Armen Rustamyan and ARF-D Bureau member Vahan
Hovhannisyan came to the united headquarters of public control over
the elections.

They made statements on the election process in front of mass media.

Both PAP leader Gagik Tsarukyan and ANC leader Levon Ter-Petrosyan
stated at the united headquarters of public control over the elections
today that they attached importance to the activity of the
headquarters from the very first day of its establishment.

`In the past, too, the opposition fought against election violations,
but there has been no united fight. Now, our strength was tripled by
the partners of the united headquarters and it is not by chance that
the commission members don’t accept the protocols of the proxies, as
by that they would stop the further process of lodging complaints
against the violations at the court,’ Levon Ter-Petrosyan said.

`The elections will end and each political force will know how much
they are trusted by the public. We have said we wish that fair and
transparent elections be held and we’ll do so. After 8:00 we’ll sit
down to discussion and will agree on further actions,’ Gagik Tsarukyan
said.

The complete evaluations will be given after summing up the results,
but before that during the whole process of the day there were several
reasons for worrying. Firstly, the number of the voters, which was
published 2 hours before the voting-1,300,000.

`This worries us a little, as this is the same number as in the 2007
elections. If this continues, it will reach 1,600,000. This is a
worrying rate,’ ARF-D Armenia Supreme Body representative Armen
Rustamyan said.

The vanishing stamps in the voters’ passports are another reason for
worry. CEC tried to settle the issue by changing the ink, but without
any positive result.

`They tried to settle the situation, instead they made it worse.
Instead, they took such ink which doesn’t vanish at all. Isn’t this a
violation of the confidentiality of the voter?’ Armen Rustamyan said.

After the end of the elections, too, the united headquarters is
continuing the discussions and it will make statements parallel to
summing up the election results.

From: Baghdasarian

Who is the customer of misinformation?

16:52 – 06.05.2012

Various news agencies supporting parties in power spread news
according to which `Heritage’ party alerted as if ARF bribed people in
Armavir.

Few minutes ago `yerkir.am’ contacted with the responsible person of
Armavir structure Gagik Margaryan, who said: `I have no clue who
spreads such rumors. I am the person-in-charge of the party and did
not tell anybody of such a thing, as I have no basis to’, said Gagik
Margaryan.

It becomes clear that the authorities are using their generated and
brought up `liberal’ media.

From: Baghdasarian

Stamp problem, high voter turnout initially planned operation – Hmayak
Hovhannissyan

tert.am
14:37 – 06.05.12

Hmayak Hovhannissyan, chairman of the Union of Political Scientists
and head of the joint headquarters, said the high turnout from 8 am to
10 am proves it to be initially organized operation.

`High voter turnout in the morning is not accidental,’ he claimed,
adding that the circumstance that the stamps vanished in the passports
of people who went to the polls in the morning is not a coincidence.
`We think these people are going to vote for the second time. But it
is very difficult to control,’ Hmayak Hovhannissyan said.

Asked what the joint headquarters are going to do, Hovhannissyan said,
they will do everything possible for the conduction of free, fair
elections.

`We will use all the opportunities for conduction of free and fair
elections but you see that the ruling authorities failed to display a
good will,’ he said, adding that the joint headquarters will sum up
the violations after the elections.

Hmayak Hovhannissyan urged everyone to go to the polls.

From: Baghdasarian