Author: Kanayan Tamar

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT WINS SECOND TERM BY WIDE MARGIN

EurActiv, EU
Feb 19 2013

Armenian President Serzh Sarksyan won a second five-year term, the
Central Electoral Commission said on Tuesday (19 February).

Police said after polls closed on Monday that they had received 70
reports of voting violations, including bribery at polling stations,
and that they had opened two criminal investigations.

The president, 58, has vowed to improve the economy in his landlocked
South Caucasus country and said before the vote he would ensure
stability and security after years of war and upheaval, though he
outlined no big policy changes.

Sarksyan, like many of his generation, is a veteran of the
Nagorno-Karabakh war, and has accused neighbouring Azerbaijan of
threatening a new conflict. Baku denies it is the aggressor and says
Armenia should hand back control of Nagorno-Karabakh.

The continued peace of a region where pipelines take Caspian oil
and natural gas to Europe is a concern for foreign investors and
neighbours.

Preliminary results released by the Central Electoral Commission
showed Sarksyan had won 58.6% of the votes cast. His closest rival,
American-born Raffi Hovannisian, who served previously as foreign
minister, was winning nearly 37% of votes.

The opposition Heritage Party said that some ballots cast for
opposition parties had been thrown out, although there was no
indication whether it would challenge the vote, which passed without
any major violence.

Representatives of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organisation for
Security and Co-operation in Europe said the election was peaceful
and generally well conducted.

“However, the limited field of candidates meant that the election was
not genuinely competitive,” they said in a written statement. “The
candidates who did run were able to campaign in a free atmosphere and
to present their views to voters, but the campaign overall failed to
engage the public’s interest.”

The last presidential election, in 2008, was marred by clashes in which
10 people were killed, but there were no reports of violence this time.

EurActiv.com with Reuters

ARMENIAN OPPOSITION MP PRESENT AT RAFFI HOVANNISIAN’S RALLY

Nikol Pashinyan, an MP of the opposition bloc Armenian National
Congress (ANC), was present at a rally and a meeting with journalists
Raffi Hovannisian, major rival to incumbent Armenian president Serzh
Sargsyan in the Feb. 18 presidential election, held in Yerevan’s
Freedom Square on Tuesday.

The 168.am website reports that a group of people complained about the
election results. “No one is going to serve our homeland to us on a
tray ¦ We have not drawn lessons from our mistakes,” Mr Pashinyan said.

With respect to the reasons for his presence in Freedom Square, Mr
Pashinyan said: “No comments on my presence in Freedom Square until
the people’s power has been established in Armenia.”

Asked about the consequences of Mr Hovannisian’s meeting with
journalists on Tuesday and his rally planned for Wednesday, Mr
Pashinyan said: “The most important thing for me and for each person
present here is his being here. As long as Armenian citizens come to
Freedom Square, he is a winner.”

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT RE-ELECTED

Europe Online Magazine
Feb 19 2013

By our dpa-correspondent and Europe Online

Yerevan (dpa) – Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan was re-elected
with 58.64 per cent of the vote, the election commission said Tuesday
in Yerevan.

Former foreign minister Raffi Hovannisian was second with 36.75 per
cent after all the votes were counted.

The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe is due to
give its verdict on the election’s fairness on Tuesday.

Turnout in the poll was 60.05 per cent, according to official
statements.

Sargsyan, a pro-Russian who came to power in 2008, is is limited to
two terms by law. Author: Benedikt von Imhoff and Awet Demurjan

dpa bvi/dem ses tlo

ARMENIAN PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION NOT FULLY COMPETITIVE – OSCE MONITORS

The Voice of Russia
Feb 19 2013

The OSCE monitors at the Armenian presidential election claim that
the election has failed to prove fully competitive, according to the
AFP news agency.

But the monitors of the International Expert Centre for Electoral
Systems, ICES, have acknowledged that the election proved
legitimate and in line with democratic standards despite a number
of irregularities.

The incumbent Serge Sargsian was re-elected Armenian President
on Monday.

He polled more than 58% of the votes. Almost 7,000 observers from
national and international organizations monitored the election.

Sargsyan winning presidential election in Armenia

Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan has been reelected.

This was announced today by the Central Election Commission of the
country, after completing the processing of all ballots.

Sargsyan was supported by more than 58 percent of voters.

His closest rival Foreign Minister Raffi Hovannisian received over
36 percent.

The other five candidates received less than 3 percent of the vote
each.

Presidential elections were held in Armenia on Monday and slightly
more than 60 percent of voters took part.

Voice of Russia, Reuters, BBC, RIA, TASS

ARMENIA’S PRESIDENT REELECTED IN CONTROVERSIAL ELECTION

Vatican Radio
Feb 19 2013

(Vatican Radio)Initial results show Armenia’s President Serzh Sarksyan
has won a second five-year term with about 58 per cent of votes cast
in a controversial election.

Monday’s ballot was overshadowed by European Union concerns about
the status of democracy in the country.

The incumbent’s main rival Raffi Hovannisian received about 32 per
cent, but the lack of serious competition has led observers to question
the democratic credentials of the poll.

Observers recalled that the last presidential election, in 2008, was
marred by clashes in which 10 people were killed, though the were no
immediate reports of violence this time.

INTERNATIONAL APPROVAL?

Sarksyan has made clear he hopes the election secures the approval
of international observers and ensure some stability after years of
war and upheaval.

However questions remain how the head-of-state will tackle tensions
with Azerbaijan about the enclave Nagorno-Karabakh, following a war
between the two neighbours over the ethnic Armenian-majority territory.

At least 30,000 people were killed and over 1 million people were
displaced in the fighting. The president has said he prefers peace
talks but is ready to fight over the enclave again, “if necessary.”

Sarksyan says he prefers peace talks but is ready to fight over the
enclave again, “if necessary.”

CALM URGED

However the president of the European Parliament, Martin Schultz, has
appealed for calm. “The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is unsustainable,
it’s quite clear,” he said.

“Both sides should do efforts towards a solution. Both sides are
invited by the European Parliament to avoid any statement which could
lead to more tensions and more conflicts, Schultz added.

Besides tensions over the enclave president Sarksyan also faces
economic troubles with nearly a third of the population living in
below the poverty line.

He seeks a comprehensive free trade agreement with the EU, but Brussels
has warned that requires an improvement of democratic standards in
the former Soviet republic.

‘s_president_reelected_in_controversial_election/en1-666273

TURKISH PREMIER MEETS AZERBAIJANI DEFENCE MINISTER

Tue 19 February 2013 14:33 GMT | 14:33 Local Time

Safar Abiyev
As part of the visit to Turkey Defence of Minister of Azerbaijan
Safar Abiyev met Premier of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

According to Turkish media, during the meeting the sides discussed
prospects of bilateral cooperation between the countries in different
spheres.

Earlier Abiyev held meetings with the President of Turkey, Abdullah
Gul, Minister of Defence of Turkey Ismet Yilmaz, with whom he signed
a declaration of intentions, with the head of the General Staff of
the Armed Forces Nejdet Ozel and commander of the land troops Hayri
Kivrikoglu.

News.Az

EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT READY TO ASSIST ARMENIA IN ADVANCING DEMOCRATIC REFORMS

February 19, 2013 | 17:45

YEREVAN. – The European Parliament is ready to support Armenia’s
progress on democratic reforms, Milan Cabrnoch, the Head of the
European Parliament delegation told reporters in Yerevan.

According to the European observer, the elections day was peaceful,
and was preceded by a peaceful campaign.

He said the European Parliament attaches great importance to the
implementation of recommendations of international experts, including
the outcome of the previous day’s elections.

Milan Cabrnoch reminded that Armenia held parliamentary and
presidential elections both in less than a year timespan, and
significantly improved the process. The representative of the European
Parliament stressed importance of progress on democratic reforms in
Armenia in terms of the negotiations on the Association Agreement
and restoration of confidence in the electoral process.

Photo by Arsen Sargsyan/ NEWS.am

ARMENIAN OPPOSITION MP CONCERNED OVER RAFFI HOVANNISIAN’S APPEAL

TERT.AM
22:34 ~U 19.02.13

Lyudmila Sargsyan, an MP from the opposition bloc Armenian National
Congress (ANC), is surprised at the fact that Chairman of the Heritage
party Raffi Hovannisian, who has been engaged in political activities
for a long time and participated in several elections, believes that
Armenia’s incumbent President Serzh Sargsyan may come to Freedom
Square and hand power over to the people.

“I think that is too naïve. Mr Hovannisian seems to have no clear
idea of the country he is living in and what he should expect from
the authorities,” Ms Sargsyan told Tert.am.

She believed Mr Hovannisian might have ensured a massive rally on
Tuesday and done his best for the rally to continue for a few days.

“Due to that pressure he might have had the election results revised
somehow, by means of the Constitutional Court, if he is sure he has
won,” Ms Sargsyan said.

As to the possibility of the ANC supporting Mr Hovannisian’s demand, Ms
Sargsyan not only rules it out, but also objects to such a scenario. “I
cannot accede to a demand that I know will never be met.”

ARF-D TO COMMENT ON SITUATION IN ARMENIA

TERT.AM
19:58 ~U 19.02.13

The Armenian Revolutionary Federation Dashnaktsutyun (ARF-D) intends to
voice its opinion on Chairman of the Heritage party Raffi Hovannisian’s
stance and appeals as well as on the present political situation
in Armenia.

“We are discussing the situation now, and we are likely to voice out
opinion tomorrow,” Aghvan Vardanyan, an ARF-D parliamentary group
member, told Tert.am.

Anzhela Khachatryan, Secretary of the Free Democrats party, told
Tert.am that the party is not yet informed of Mr Hovannisian’s appeal.

Chairman of the Heritage party Raffi Hovannisian intends to hold a
national rally in Yerevan Freedom Square at 5:00pm, Wednesday, calling
on Armenia’s incumbent President Serzh Sargsyan to meet with him before
Wednesday and discuss the “issue of handing power over to the people.”

According to the preliminary results of the Feb. 18 presidential
election in Armenia, Armenia’s incumbent President Serzh Sargsyan
received 58.64% of votes, and his major rival Raffi Hovannisian 36.75%.

OMBUDSMAN: UNRELIABLE WORK OF POLICE MAY AFFECT THE ELECTIONS

February 19, 2013 – 20:30 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Armenian Human Rights Defender Karen Andreasyan
presented the observations on Feb 18 elections.

Ombudsman Andreasyan said no observation may be complete and reliable
for the Armenian people, unless RA police presents objective data on
voting violations. He further listed election bribery, double voting,
ballot stuffing and falsification of voting results among the major
violations recorded during Feb 18 polls.

“The unreliable work of police may cast a shadow on the positive
achievements of the elections. I urge all the institutions and
individuals to step up close cooperation with police to reveal
the election frauds in shortest terms,” Armenian Human Rights
Defender has received 253 calls on voting violations. We will further
receive reports on election frauds, follow media outlets, observers’
assessments and post-election developments,” the statement by RA
Ombudsman’s Office reads.