ARMENIAN PRESIDENT AGAINST USING BALLOT-RIGGING FOR ELECTIONEERING
Armenian Second TV Channel, Armenia
Dec 15 2006
Armenian President Robert Kocharyan has urged the political forces
of the country not to use possible ballot-rigging for electioneering.
Commenting on the parliamentary elections to be held in 2007, the
president also said that political parties funded from abroad pose a
danger to the country’s security. At the same time, Kocharyan denied
that the Karabakh negotiating process will be suspended until the
elections in 2007, saying that the talks will only slacken. He also
denied reports of disagreements within the ruling team and praised
the country’s economic development. The following is an except from
report by Armenian Second TV Channel on 15 December. Subheadings have
been inserted editorially:
[Public TV correspondent Armen Arzumanyan] In the run-up to the
elections, some people in our country often speak about possible
election fraud and even planned fraud. Naturally, the authorities
say that everything will be fair, but the opposition says everything
will be rigged. The Electoral Code has been amended once again. Will
this give us an opportunity to hold a free and fair [parliamentary]
election?
President warns against using fraud for electioneering
[Armenian President Robert Kocharyan] You are right in saying that
it has become a tradition in Armenia to use election fraud for
electioneering. This is done mainly by the parties or politicians
that do not have a real opportunity to gain votes. Their purpose is
clear. If they do not gain the votes they want, they can always speak
about the legitimacy of the future authorities and in doing so, can
find their political niche in the next five years. If they gain votes,
they can say that these votes have been gained by them and they are
decisive to attain their goals.
Let us try to understand who will falsify the election results and
how? There is the Central Electoral Commission and the regional
and district commissions. They are responsible for organizing the
elections and the entire voting process. If the elections are rigged,
they are rigged in these electoral commissions when votes are counted
and the first results are made public.
Who forms these electoral commissions? According to the new law, the
president nominates one person. It is supposed that the judiciary will
nominate one person as well, but it is still a draft law. The other
seven members of the commission will be appointed by parliamentary
factions and groups.
[Passage omitted: parties should be responsible for their
representatives in electoral commissions; other reported details;
diversity among political parties and movements is normal during a
transition period]
A small country in a complicated region
[Armenia TV correspondent Gagik Lazarian] Mr. President, what impact
will external forces have on the election process, especially given
the fact that the Karabakh issue has not been settled yet?
[Kocharyan] Armenia is a small country in a complicated region and
it is clear that it will be influenced in various ways. It would
even be insulting if the states that have interests in this region
did not try to influence us. This would mean that they do not need
us and Armenia is not an important state. If we look at seminars
and conferences held in Armenia and those who finance them, it will
become clear what sort of foreign forces are trying to influence the
political field of Armenia. I mean if you look at grant programmes
and the affiliation of certain media outlets. This causes certain
problems for the national security of Armenia. We cannot resist all
this. We should be flexible and conduct comprehensive explanatory
work. Our people should understand that the political forces which
come to power with foreign funding or support from external forces
are dangerous for the state. The authorities should be pro-Armenian,
Armenia-centric and be loyal to our national interests. This is the
direction that will guarantee a secure future for Armenia.
[Passage omitted: Karabakh talks will not yield results until 2007
polls]
[Arzumanyan] You said that it is dangerous to try to settle the
Karabakh conflict during the election period.
[Kocharyan] It is not dangerous. I do not want the Karabakh settlement
to become hostage to the election campaign as it is impossible to
expect impartiality.
[Arzumanyan] Does it mean that the Karabakh talks will be suspended
till the end of the presidential election [in 2008]?
[Kocharyan] No, it does not. I did not say that they will be
suspended. I said that there will be no active negotiating process. I
said this for the politicians who are going to use this factor to
invent something new for their campaign. I think we should be fair
with the people.
Charity no key to success
[Armenian Second TV Channel correspondent Shavarsh Gevorkyan] Mr.
President, charitable actions held by some parties have become a target
of opposition criticism these days. What is your attitude to this?
[Kocharyan] Name a country where charitable actions do not intensify
before elections. There is no such country. In well-established
democratic states, charity and elections are regulated by laws at such
a level that it is possible to notice where charity ends and election
bribes start. Unfortunately, our legislation does not provide for
this strict boundary, but I should say that those who speak about
this have not suggested any draft law in this direction.
Political activity, especially parliamentary activity, supposes that
if you have a problem and worry about something, then you should
first initiate a law and suggest adopting it, but if the National
Assembly does not adopt it, you can accuse the ruling parties of
not accepting this sound advice. But there is no such suggestion,
only senseless talk.
[Passage omitted: Expanding on details]
Incidentally, the subject of charitable actions has become more
intensive in connection with the activity of the Prosperous Armenia
Party [PAP]. The growth in the authority of this party has caused
certain anxiety in the political field. I do not think that the
growth in the rating of the PAP is a direct result of its charitable
actions. It would be a very simple explanation and many people would
start doing charity. But they do not do this as they instinctively
understand that in our society, there is demand for a new political
force that would act in a constructive field and use simple and clear
slogans. Their main idea is that they take care of people. Who does
not want to be taken care of? I think this is the main reason for
the success of the PAP.
No disagreements within authorities
[Arzumanyan] Mr President, in parallel with the growing rating of
the PAP, there are rumours about disagreements between you and the
Republican Party of Armenia [RPA]. Various scenarios that you invented
have been presented to us. But I am sure that nobody saw or heard
something personally and all this is a prediction.
[Kocharyan] Some analysts express ideas that surprise me sometimes.
Do I really have such political inventions? No, I do not. I think
that those analysts prepare such analyses with the aim of creating an
atmosphere of distrust within the authorities and split the team that
runs the state today. The situation is clear: there is the Republican
Party of Armenia which has been represented in the government since
May 2002 in this format with little change and has been the biggest
parliamentary faction since that time. And the prime minister is the
leader of that party. We have had a serious economic growth over the
last six years. These are the best years of Armenia’s independence
in the sense of its economic development.
[Passage omitted: Praising the Republican Party’s contribution to
Armenia’s economic development]
[Shavarsh Gevorkyan] Everybody in Armenia is interested in your
political future.
[Kocharyan] I can say for sure today that I am not going to become
the youngest pensioner of Armenia. Life will start from the very
beginning. We shall certainly meet again and I will be pleased to
answer your questions. Thank you.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress