#armvote2021. Daily News Digest

#armvote2021. Daily News Digest [29.06.2021]

20:15 - 29 June, 2021

#armvote2021. Daily News Digest [28.06.2021]

Read the daily news digest for June 27 here. The "I Have the Honor" alliance is to apply to the Constitutional Court on the issue of snap parliamentary elections The "I Have the Honor" ("Pativ Unem") alliance is going to apply to the Constitutional Court, demanding to recognize the results of the snap parliamentary elections as invalid. Sos Hakobyan, spokesman for the alliance stated that all the violations related to holding free and fair elections and obstructing them will be reported, including the use of administrative resources, the use of mobile groups, hate speech, and unequal public airtime. It should be reminded that the results of the June 20, 2021 snap parliamentary elections are being questioned by a number of political forces. During the summing up of the election results, it became known that three political forces - the "Zartonq" National-Christian Party, the "Armenia" alliance, and the "I Have the Honor" alliance submitted applications to the CEC to declare the results of the snap parliamentary elections invalid but were rejected. The Armenian National Congress not to apply to the Constitutional Court The vice-president of the Armenian National Congress Levon Zurabyan informed that the party is not going to apply to the Constitutional Court. According to Zurabyan, it does not make sense to apply to the Constitutional Court, because, one way or another, the issue of legalization of the election results will become a subject of discussion, and will be examined. When asked what expectations they have from the Constitutional Court, Zurabyan noted that there is no need to have any expectations. PM advisor Arayik Harutyunyan on Hayk Marutyan not publicly supporting the "Civil Contract" party during the pre-election period During the "Sunday Analytical" program of "Azatutyun" radio station Arayik Harutyunyan, Advisor to the Acting Prime Minister of Armenia referred to the mayor of Yerevan Hayk Marutyan not publicly supporting the "Civil Contract" party during the pre-election period. "I am very sorry that Hayk Marutyan had such an attitude before the elections, and as a city mayor candidate previously nominated by the "Civil Contract" and "My Step", did not express public support in the pre-election period. The vote by which Marutyan became the mayor of Yerevan is mostly the force that has already formed a government for the second time. At the moment, we do not have any discussion related to the mayor," he said. Doctors held a protest in front of the SIS in defense of Armen Charchyan Doctors in white coats held a protest in front of the Special Investigation Service in defense of the director of "Izmirlian" Medical Center, doctor Armen Charchyan, included in the list of the "Armenia" alliance, against whom the court made a decision on arresting. The doctors came up with an open letter again, and this time the addressee was the head of the SIS Sasun Khachatryan. Armen Charchyan is currently in hospital, and on June 27 his condition worsened. Earlier, 539 doctors sent an open letter to the authorities and the public to lift the detention of Armen Charchyan. It should be reminded that Charchyan is accused of forcing people to participate in the snap parliamentary elections. The CEC Chairman commented on the issue of servicemen voting with military ID cards Yesterday the chairman of the Central Electoral Commission Tigran Mukuchyan summarized the final results of the June 20 special parliamentary elections. Mukuchyan said that four applications were submitted to invalidate the results of the CEC elections, one of which was in violation of the established deadlines. One of the applications was submitted by the "Armenia" alliance. After reading the justifications of the application, the representative of the central headquarters of the alliance Aram Vardevanyan mentioned that he wanted to draw special attention to several points of the application. One of those points was that the servicemen voted with military booklets. The CEC chairman reversed Aram Vardevanyan, saying that the servicemen have always voted with military booklets. Thus, Tigran Mukuchyan is right, because the Electoral Code allows servicemen to take part in the voting with a military card or a certificate. During the elections, the military card for soldiers was considered an identity document since 1999. Paragraph 3 of Article 55 of the Electoral Code (invalid) adopted in 1999 states, "The identity document is the passport, the document replacing the passport, for military officers - non-commissioned officers - the military certificate, and for other servicemen - the military card." This Code was in force until 2011, when no changes were made to Article 5, Clause 3 during the elections, regarding the military ID card being considered an identity document. In fact, according to the Electoral Code adopted during the presidency of Robert Kocharyan, who heads the pre-election list of the "Armenia" alliance, and which was in force until the end of his presidency, the military book and the certificate were considered as identification documents for the servicemen.

19:40 - 28 June, 2021

#armvote2021. Daily News Digest [27.06.2021]

Read the daily news digest for June 26 here. Central Electoral Commission summed up the final results of the snap parliamentary elections The Central Electoral Commission prepared and signed the protocol of the results of the snap parliamentary elections in Armenia, according to which the "Civil Contract" party has received 688.761 votes or 53.91% of total votes, the “I Have the Honor” alliance – 66.650 or 5.22% and the “Armenia” alliance – 269.481 or 21.09%. The total amount of inaccuracies is 973. All members of the commission signed the protocol. Recounts in 82 polling stations, in 51 of which insignificant changes were registered The Chairman of the Central Electoral Commission Tigran Mukuchyan presented the summary data on the snap parliamentary elections. Mukuchyan said that in three territorial election commissions (No. 2, 3, 9) applications were submitted for recounting the voting results in four polling stations. The applications were submitted by the proxies of the "Zartonq" National Christian Party. The CEC also received applications from the authorized representative of the "Sovereign Armenia" party and the Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly-Vanadzor The applications referred to the inaccuracies in the voting results in different polling stations. The submitted applications referred to the data of 24 precincts in total. "The results of the pre-registered voting in 16 polling stations have not changed at all. No change in the votes cast for the candidates was registered in 31 polling stations, and in the remaining 51 polling stations, there were insignificant changes due to the recognition of valid or invalid ballots,” Mukuchyan stated. The CEC approved the number of mandates each political force will receive in Parliament The Central Electoral Commission of Armenia calculated how many mandates each of the three political forces ("Civil Contract" party, "Armenia" and "I Have the Honor" alliances) will receive in the newly formed Parliament. According to the decision, the "Civil Contract" party will receive 68, the "Armenia" alliance - 26, the "I Have the Honor" alliance - 7 mandates. The "Armenia" alliance will get 2 additional seats in the Parliament, because, as the CEC chairman commented, the total number of mandates of the opposition parties should be 36, and since the "Armenia" alliance received more votes, those additional mandates will be given to them. According to the final count, the "Civil Contract" party will have 71 MPs in the National Assembly of the 8th convocation, the "Armenia" alliance - 29, the "I Have the Honor" alliance – 7. The "Armenia" alliance is to apply to the Constitutional Court with a demand to invalidate the voting results A huge amount of hate speech was spread during the pre-election campaign, at a briefing with reporters, the official representative of the central headquarters of the "Armenia" alliance Aram Vardevanyan stated this referring to the alliance's application to the Central Electoral Commission after the snap parliamentary elections, which demands to invalidate the results of the snap parliamentary elections. "Hate speech is not just a word if it is used by a pro-government force, which is constantly surrounded by thousands of police officers at all rallies," Vardevanyan said. According to him, there were systematic violations during the elections, and that they are going to submit an application to the Constitutional Court as soon as possible, according to the law, within 5 days after summarizing today's results. Parties and alliances apply to the CEC to invalidate the results of the parliamentary elections The Central Electoral Commission received four applications on invalidating the results of the snap parliamentary elections, the CEC Chairman Tigran Mukuchyan stated this while presenting the summary data of the elections. According to Mukuchyan, the applications were submitted by the "Zartonq" National Christian Party, as well as the "Armenia" and the "I Have the Honor" alliances. “Zartonq” claims that prior to the election campaign, the representatives of the "Civil Contract" party, who had the status of public servants, were actually campaigning at the expense of state resources; during the election campaign, they were using methods of psychological coercion and calls for violence, and spreading threats of violence and hatred; arrests were reported during the election campaign, and many polling stations were without power electricity when counting ballots; The “I Have the Honor” alliance claims that thousands of people participated in the elections, whose data were kept secret, polling stations were kept secret, and no information was available; during the election process, thousands of people who had to move abroad permanently or had Armenian passports were not allowed to vote, as the Passport and Visa Department of the Police adopted a differentiated approach without any legal justification; during the campaign, the provision of broadcast time was rejected on unreasonable grounds, and the Public Television of Armenia refused to broadcast the video provided by the "I Have the Honor" alliance. According to the “Armenia” alliance, the large inaccuracies in the polling station protocols and the results published by the Central Electoral Commission, which appeared in the results of the recount announced by the Central Electoral Commission are very suspicious.

21:20 - 27 June, 2021

#armvote2021. Daily News Digest [26.06.2021]

Read the daily news digest for June 25 here. 47 people prosecuted for committing electoral crimes The Prosecutor General's Office presented the results of the work carried out by law enforcement agencies under the supervision of the Prosecutor's Office on reports of substantial electoral crimes throughout the snap parliamentary elections and the reports of non-electoral but other electorally related criminal acts. In particular, in connection with the reports sent to the preliminary investigation and investigative bodies by the working group set up in the RA General Prosecutor's Office for the preparation of materials in criminal procedure, as of June 25, 37 criminal cases have been initiated. 47 people are prosecuted in the mentioned criminal cases. 26 of them are charged, and 11 have the status of suspects. Various criminal charges have been filed in connection with the election bribery, including five members of the two alliances running in the June 20 snap parliamentary elections and five MP candidates. One of the candidates whose arrest was declared illegal by a court decision has left the territory of Armenia after being released from detention and is declared wanted. Detention of all 6 candidates and the 11 people involved in criminal cases was chosen as a measure of restraint. The Administrative Court invalidated the decision of the CEC to issue a warning to Pashinyan The Administrative Court annulled the decision of the Central Electoral Commission, which issued a warning to Nikol Pashinyan, the PM candidate of the "Civil Contract" party, based on the application of the "I Have the Honor" alliance. On the eve of the election, which is considered a "day of silence", Nikol Pashinyan went live and made a speech on his Facebook page, which the CEC considered a violation of the campaign ban, and issued a warning. The authorized representative of the "Civil Contract" party Tigran Naghdalyan had filed a lawsuit in the administrative court against the CEC, asking to invalidate (eliminate) the commission's decision No. 160-A. of 19.06.2021. The "I Have Honor" alliance was involved in the lawsuit as a third party, but neither the response to the lawsuit was filed, nor did they show up to court. The representative also said that the acting Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan addressed two main topics in his public speech on his Facebook page. The first was on election-related issues of the judiciary and law enforcement system, and the second on voting procedures. The video did not use any images or words that could be associated with this or that party. In this case, Nikol Pashinyan did not act as a candidate, but as the acting Prime Minister. The representative of the party confirmed this by the fact that as of 19.06.2021, the acting Prime Minister has not been on vacation, and has acted as the head of the government. According to the representative of the CEC, the day of silence refers to people with public recognition and perception, who have a direct influence on the will of the voters, and in fact, there has not been a case of silence on the part of any candidate, and any kind of speech violates this rule. In this case, Nikol Pashinyan's public speech is enough to be considered a violation of the day of silence, but the term "propaganda" is not revealed by the RA legislation, and any action by the candidates can be propaganda or anti-propaganda. "Armenia" alliance accuses the executive power of using repressions conditioned by political views The "Armenia" alliance has issued a statement, claiming that the executive power in Armenia is using repressions conditioned by political views. "Without waiting for the official confirmation of the snap parliamentary elections' results, especially when they are disputed, the executive power of Armenia, which works on a temporary regime, as well as its subordinates have become more restrained. The regime, which speaks of the "rights and the dictatorship of law", has violated the basic human rights and freedoms and targeted the leaders of many communities, council members, public servants, economic, cultural, scientific, educational, and health activists who do not share the views of the government that is destroying the homeland. Illegal actions of dismissal and restriction of other rights to limit their free actions are systematic and massive. Based on this we demand from the executive power of the Republic of Armenia to immediately stop the persecution and violence conditioned by political views, otherwise, the current regime holds all the responsibility for further aggravation of the situation in the Republic of Armenia, which is already in a difficult situation and is overcoming existing challenges. We demand from the RA Prosecutor General's Office, the investigative bodies, the Police, and the National Security Service to prevent the criminal behavior of the political authorities, to identify and punish officials who abuse their powers based on political views," the statement reads. The President of Kazakhstan congratulated Pashinyan on winning the elections The President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev sent a congratulatory message to the Acting Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on the victory of the "Civil Contract" party in the snap parliamentary elections. "On behalf of the people of Kazakhstan, I personally congratulate you on the victory of the "Civil Contract" party led by you in the snap parliamentary elections of Armenia. The results of the voting are convincing evidence that your political course aimed at strengthening statehood, national unity, and stabilizing the situation in the country enjoys popular support. I wish you great success in your responsible state activity for the benefit of friendly Armenia," the statement reads.

20:24 - 26 June, 2021

#armvote2021. Daily News Digest [25.06.2021]

Read the daily news digest for June 24 here. Pashinyan received congratulations from international partners on winning the elections The President of France Emmanuel Macron sent a congratulatory message to the Acting Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan on winning the snap parliamentary elections. Macron mentioned he will be glad to continue the work they have jointly initiated during Pashinyan's first term. He also reaffirmed France's commitment as the co-chair of the Minsk Group, to search for a comprehensive settlement to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. “On the occasion of the victory of the party led by you in the snap parliamentary elections in Armenia on June 20, I send you my congratulations and wish you success in your ongoing tenure for the benefit of the Armenian and French people. Sending you my most sincere congratulations and best wishes,” Macron's statement reads. The Ambassador of the United Kingdom to the OSCE Neil Bush also congratulated the Armenian people on the successful conduct of the snap parliamentary elections and thanked ODIHR's election monitoring group for observing the elections and preparing reports on the results. Neil Bush shared concerns that the campaign period was characterized by intense polarization and provocative rhetoric, and that women were left out throughout the campaign. “We were pleased to learn that the elections were competitive and generally well organized within the short period of time. Voters were provided with a broad range of options, and fundamental rights and freedoms were generally respected,” the Ambassador stated. President Armen Sarkissian met with the leaders of extra-parliamentary political forces The RA President Armen Sarkissian met with the leader of the “Bright Armenia” party Edmon Marukyan and the chairman of the "Prosperous Armenia" party Gagik Tsarukyan. The sides exchanged views on the internal political situation. President Sarkissian emphasized the role of "Prosperous Armenia" in the political life of the country, appreciated the constructive position of the party on holding snap parliamentary elections, and expressed hope that not being represented in the new Parliament will not affect the party's political activity. Sarkissian underlined the importance of using the party's political experience for the benefit of the Republic of Armenia and expressed confidence that "Prosperous Armenia", as an extra-parliamentary force, will continue its active involvement in the political process. During his meeting with Edmon Marukyan, President Sarkissian mentioned that the "Bright Armenia" party has played a role in the political life of the country in recent years, which is highly appreciated. It was noted that "Bright Armenia" was one of the political forces that initially supported the idea of holding snap parliamentary elections to overcome the crisis in the country, which could have been a decisive factor in terms of the state's stability and future. The President of Armenia expressed hope that although according to the preliminary results of the snap elections, "Bright Armenia" will not enter the National Assembly, it will be active outside the Parliament for the benefit of the country's development and progress. Robert Kocharyan met with the community leaders of the "Armenia" alliance The leader of the "Armenia" alliance, Armenia's second President Robert Kocharyan held a meeting with the leaders of the alliance's team member communities. During the meeting, the post-election situation and the upcoming actions were discussed. Kocharyan expressed confidence that the representatives of the alliance should not give in to the illegal pressure exerted by the government, and that they should continue their usual work for the welfare of the communities. Issues about legal and political assistance provided to community leaders were raised. Kocharyan assured that the ongoing process will receive a clear legal-political assessment. An agreement was reached to make such meetings regular. Ara Abrahamyan claims the "Our Home is Armenia" party didn't authorize Tigran Urikhanyan to meet with Pashinyan The President of the Union of Armenians in Russia Ara Abrahamyan issued a statement claiming that party member Tigran Urikhanyan was not authorized to meet with acting PM Nikol Pashinyan after the elections. “The party, which participated in the snap parliamentary elections in Armenia, was supported by Ara Abrahamyan and more than 12.000 voters who voted for us have nothing to do with the meeting and do not share Urikhanyan's post-election views," the statement reads. It should be reminded that on June 23 acting PM of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan had a meeting with the leader of the "Alliance" party Tigran Urikhanyan. “Unfortunately, we now represent only 12.164 voters in the Republic of Armenia. But we have what we have. While working in the Parliament, we had the opportunity to criticize you, your government, to criticize it in the period before the election campaign, and in fact, what was recorded by the voters probably means that the government will decide if it wants to listen to our voice, our criticism or suggestions,” Urikhanyan had mentioned during the meeting. The Commission on TV and Radio approved the conclusion on the maintenance of the pre-election campaign order The Commission on TV and Radio of Armenia approved the final conclusion on the maintenance of the established order of the pre-election campaign by the providers of audiovisual media service. The conclusion will be published and submitted to the Central Electoral Commission of Armenia. It should be mentioned that OSCE / ODIHR Media Analyst Ivan Godarsky attended the meeting.

20:00 - 25 June, 2021

#armvote2021. Daily News Digest [24.06.2021]

Read the daily news digest for June 23 here. CEC presented the results of the vote recount in some polling stations The recounting of the June 20 snap parliamentary elections' results continued in the territorial electoral commissions of polling stations N 9, 23, and 34. According to the press service of the Central Electoral Commission of Armenia, the results of the voting in 16 polling stations were recounted, as a result of which no change in the votes cast for the candidates was registered in 4 polling stations, in 1 of which no change in the data was registered at all. As a result of the other recounted polling stations, the following changes were registered․ The “I Have the Honor”, “Armenia” and "Free Homeland" alliances, as well as the "Citizen’s Decision" Social-Democratic party, the "Shirinyan-Babajanyan" alliance of democrats and the "Verelk" party lost 2 votes respectively. "Fair Armenia", "Zartonq", "Bright Armenia", “Our Home Is Armenia” party, “National Agenda" parties, and the Democratic Party of Armenia lost 1 vote each. The "5165" National Conservative Movement party’s votes were increased by 2, and the votes for the "Prosperous Armenia" party increased by 20. The winning party “Civil Contract” lost 5 votes as a result of the recount. There weren’t any changes in the votes of the other political forces. Deputy Chairman of the Armenian National Congress commented on election results The Deputy Chairman of the Armenian National Congress Levon Zurabyan commented on the results of the snap parliamentary elections and addressed his team. He stated they just need to maintain and expand the great new team created during the election campaign. "In just 30 days, we were able to present to our society the truth about the history of the Karabakh conflict, our development programs in Armenia, the need for a return to realistic policy. Unfortunately, the administrative resources and the pressures of public/private employers on our people in poverty and dependence, as well as the money and media belonging to the oligarchs, have taken our electoral and, in general, the political system captive. In such a system, the political forces that have money and leverage, therefore, also those with manipulation technologies, and not rationalism or political thought, win. We shouldn't get desperate. I have no doubt that very soon we will have to mobilize all our efforts to overcome the consequences of their failures and face new challenges. Thank you to all the Congress candidates, supporters, funders, campaigners, and the staff. Rationalism and justice will win anyway," Zurabyan added. Edmon Marukyan thinks the new Parliament will not be qualitatively better The leader of the "Bright Armenia" party Edmon Marukyan said he thinks the National Assembly of the 8th convocation will not be qualitatively better than the one of the 7th convocation. "Our people have decided that the Parliament of the 8th convocation should consist of the forces of Nikol Pashinyan, Robert Kocharyan, and Serzh Sargsyan. It's the decision of the people, the power belongs to the people," he said. Marukyan mentioned that his party's keeping up with the vote recount process. He noted that there were no major differences as a result. "I think in all the polling stations where there were violations, the results should be invalidated. If there is evidence of mass violations, then the whole election should be declared invalid," he said. Marukyan also stated that his party, which will not be in the National Assembly of the 8th convocation, will take a break to analyze what needs to be done, will rearrange its internal structures, then will consider the possibility of participating in local elections in fall, and will do everything in its power to serve the state. Marukyan thanked the citizens who voted for the party, assuring that those who voted for them will not regret it. He expressed hope that the political forces included in the National Assembly of the 8th convocation will act in the interests of the statehood. "Accepting the election results, we will continue our extra-parliamentary activities," Marukyan said. Armenia’s Ombudsman condemned insulting people based on the election results Armenia's Ombudsman Arman Tatoyan issued a statement, noting that insulting people by artificially dividing them into literates and illiterates and linking it with the voting results is condemnable. "Immediately after the June 21 snap parliamentary elections' voting day, new dangerous manifestations of dividing people into groups, developing insults, hatred, and intolerance were brought to the public domain. More specifically, certain parts of the opposition and their supporters state that the city dwellers, intellectuals, and the educated voted for them. Some government officials and supporters reverse the opposition and their supporters with insulting remarks, and then the opposite happens. As a result, the whole society finds itself in a closed chain of tension because of insults, swearing, and retaliation. The situation is further exacerbated by the fake attacks of fake pages supporting and coordinating or directing government and parts of the opposition, which have not only not stopped but have become more aggressive on certain issues. The Human Rights Defender calls on all political forces, public figures, and clergy to refrain from insult, hate speech, or its contribution, as well as actions that exacerbate and increase tensions. Even the figurative meanings of words or phrases and the possibilities of perception in society must be taken into account. One should not be discriminated against for his/her political views," Tatoyan stated. Armen Charchyan was taken to hospital before the court decision was announced The head of the "Izmirlian" Medical Center, Armen Charchyan, was taken to hospital yesterday before the publication of the court decision on granting the detention motion submitted by the Special Investigation Service, lawyer Aram Vardevanyan wrote about this on Facebook. He also informed that they have submitted an urgent motion to the RA Prosecutor General Arthur Davtyan, asking to exercise the discretionary power to abolish detention as a measure of restraint. It should be reminded that yesterday the Court of General Jurisdiction of Yerevan satisfied the motion of the Special Investigation Service to detain the head of "Izmirlian" Medical Center Armen Charchyan. Charchyan is accused of forcing people to participate in the snap parliamentary elections. The "Civil Contract" party sued the Central Electoral Commission The "Civil Contract" party sued the Central Electoral Commission of Armenia. The lawsuit is filed on June 21 and was signed by Administrative Court Judge Daniel Danielyan. The day of the sitting is tomorrow at 17:55. The authorized representative of the party demands to cancel decision No. 160-A dated 19.06.2021. With this decision, the CEC has approved the application of the "I Have the Honor" ("Pativ Unem" alliance) and issued a warning to the acting Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan. The alliance had mentioned in the application that on June 19, the day of silence, Pashinyan's live broadcast on the election process on Facebook was considered a violation of the campaign. The application was satisfied.

20:45 - 24 June, 2021

#armvote2021. Daily News Digest [23.06.2021]

Read the daily news digest for June 22 here. Acting PM Pashinyan met with the leaders of extra-parliamentary political forces Within the framework of consultations with extra-parliamentary political forces, acting PM Nikol Pashinyan had a meeting with Tigran Arzakantsyan, whose registration was invalidated by the Central Electoral Commission in the pre-election period. Pashinyan noted that he regrets the registration of Arzakantsyan's candidacy was invalidated during the pre-election campaign. Arzakantsyan mentioned that most importantly his party has many programs. "I would like to discuss the issue of Artsakh with the new leadership, the new government, as well as issues related to the education system and economic development. I consider myself a patriotic Armenian. I would like my knowledge, programs, and the investments that I have made to be effective for my homeland and to serve our country. The negotiations with the current government will continue," Arzakantsyan said. Pashinyan also met with the leader of the "Sovereign Armenia" party David Sanasaryan. “We consider ourselves the bearers of the 2018 revolution and we will do our best to make what you and I promised from the platform of the revolution a reality. We hope that these meetings will create a new culture, we will definitely present the approaches, the programs, and the solutions that we see,” Sanasaryan stated. During the consultations with extra-parliamentary political forces, Pashinyan also met the Chairman of the Conservative Party Mikayel Hayrapetyan. “For the Conservative Party, the results of the elections are not disputable at all. We made a statement the day after the elections, thus ending our party's presence in the pre-election alliance "Free Homeland". However, the elections showed that there is a need for national consensus,” Hayrapetyan said. Later today Pashinyan also had a meeting with the leader of the "Alliance" party Tigran Urikhanyan. “Unfortunately, we now represent only 12.164 voters in the Republic of Armenia. But we have what we have. While working in the Parliament, we had the opportunity to criticize you, your government, to criticize it in the period before the election campaign, and in fact, what was recorded by the voters probably means that the government will decide if it wants to listen to our voice, our criticism or suggestions,” Urikhanyan mentioned. Pashinyan also met with the Chairman of the European Party of Armenia Tigran Khzmalyan. They exchanged views on the further development of political life in Armenia. “I think that three of the many issues that you're facing are the most important. These are the issues of the sovereignty of the country, the security of the country and the nation, and of course, the economy. The people and the ideology representing the European Party of Armenia are convinced that the answer to these three questions is European integration,” Khzmalyan said. Acting Deputy PM Avinyan believes the elections bring a good era for Armenia Acting Deputy PM Tigran Avinyan stated today that the party, which won the people's vote has no choice but to work legally. "A good era is coming for the Republic of Armenia - work, development, progress, and opportunities. This time should be used by all state bodies for the benefit of the development of Armenia," Avinyan said. Arthur Vanetsyan commented on working in the newly-elected Parliament During a press conference today the PM candidate of the "I Have the Honor" ("Pativ Unem") alliance Arthur Vantesyan stated that the election results were unexpected. Commenting on whether the alliance will take mandates or not, Arthur Vanetsyan said, "If a decision is made that the alliance is going to the Parliament and is taking the mandates, I will definitely not leave my team alone, I will go to the Parliament and we will continue our fight in there. Unfortunately, not taking the mandates does not cause any legal consequences for the activity of the Parliament. That is, if we do not take the mandates, the Parliament continues to function.” Vanetsyan also commented on Pashinyan's call for solidarity. He said that he did not see a clear call for solidarity in the speech of the acting Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan at the June 21 rally. According to Vanetsyan, during the last three years Pashinyan's calls, statements, and reality have been significantly different. He stated that only time will show if Pashinyan can change. "National Agenda" party announced that the parliamentary election results are illegal The "National Agenda" party issued a statement claiming it considers the snap parliamentary elections and the results illegal. "We consider the elections and the election results illegal, just as we do not consider our involvement in the post-election process of disputing the election results in the Constitutional Court to be effective, repeating the vicious practice of the last 25 years. The "National Agenda" party realizes how crucial the current situation is for the Armenian statehood and for the Armenians and accordingly expresses readiness to initiate consultations with political and public forces within the framework of the necessary national-liberation struggle, aiming to get rid of the ruling system in Armenia by uniting nationalist forces and to form a national government,” the statement reads. RA prosecutor's office will study reports on inconsistencies of election results in some polling stations Adviser to the RA Prosecutor General Gor Abrahamyan made a post on his Facebook page stating that the Prosecutor's office will study reports on inconsistencies of election results in some polling stations. "Separate publications appeared today in media about inconsistencies in certain polling stations during the recount of the June 20 snap parliamentary elections. Without waiting for the steps taken by the election commissions or the subjects involved in the elections, the RA Prosecutor's Office will necessarily initiate a criminal procedure of proper verification and legal assessment of all the publications in which there is or may be data containing criminal features," Abrahamyan wrote. The vote recount continues in Armenia as the parliamentary elections are over The Central Electoral Commission of Armenia reported about vote recount at more than 65 polling stations. Thus, the number of votes for the “Armenia” alliance led by ex-president Robert Kocharyann increased by 744, and the votes of the winning "Civil Contract" party increased by 659. The recount process will continue until Friday, June 25. "Izmirlian" Medical Center Director Armen Charchyan to be held in custody The Court of General Jurisdiction of Yerevan satisfied the motion of the Special Investigation Service to detain the head of "Izmirlian" Medical Center Armen Charchyan. Charchyan is accused of forcing people to participate in the snap parliamentary elections. A few days before the elections, the "Independent Observer" alliance had distributed a fragment from the recording of Charchyan's meeting with the hospital staff, which the law enforcement officers describe as obstructing the exercise of the voter's free will.

21:05 - 23 June, 2021

#armvote2021. Daily News Digest [22.06.2021]

20:40 - 22 June, 2021

#armvote2021. Daily News Digest [21.06.2021]

21:03 - 21 June, 2021

#armvote2021. Daily News Digest [20.06.2021]

Read the daily news digest for June 19 here. The voting in snap parliamentary elections is over The time provided for voting in the snap parliamentary elections is over. Polling stations all over the republic are closed at 20:00. At midnight, the CEC will start announcing the results online. Let us remind you that the voting for the snap parliamentary elections in Armenia started today at 08:00. According to the Central Electoral Commission, there are 2.593.572 voters on the voter lists. 21 parties and 4 alliances of parties are running in the snap elections, where 2.510 candidates are included. PM candidates shared thoughts after casting the ballots After voting and leaving the poll station, the PM candidate of the "Bright Armenia" party Edmon Marukyan said his party voted for solidarity and to restore peace in the country for tomorrow. "We have said that tomorrow is the time to restore internal political solidarity and reconciliation in the country. Of course, it could have been done earlier, but the elections are a chance for us to take that step in this situation. I have high hopes that solidarity and the restoration of peace will not have an alternative for us, because our challenges are much bigger than we imagine. In this sense, we simply have no alternative. We must put aside our small truths for the sake of a greater truth, for the sake of a greater value, which is the state, our statehood," Marukyan mentioned. Summing up the pre-election campaign, Marukyan said that it was full of hate speech. Acting Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, who heads the list of the "Civil Contract" party, didn't answer reporters' questions after the voting. After voting and leaving the poll station, the PM candidate of the "Armenia" alliance Robert Kocharyan talked about the possible cooperation with Armenia's Ex-PM Karen Karapetyan, saying that it is obvious that Karen Karapetyan is with them, but they have not decided what kind of cooperation will be in the future. The PM candidate of the "I Have Honor" (“Pativ Unem”) alliance Arthur Vanetsyan told reporters that today it's a choice for the sake of Armenia's existence. "The government is in agony, all the steps are taken on weakening the positions of the opposition. They understand that they will never have a chance to reproduce or form a government in Armenia, so they are making every effort to cling to their seats," he said. Speaking about the possible tension after the elections, Vanetsyan said that the opposition is not responsible for it. "The de facto government is responsible for it. I think there will be no post-election developments because the election results will prove who will form the government in Armenia," he added. After voting, the PM candidate and the leader of the "Prosperous Armenia" party Gagik Tsarukyan said that he voted for a safe homeland, for strong, developing, prosperous Armenia. To the question of whether the "Prosperous Armenia" will form a coalition with Nikol Pashinyan's party, Tsarukyan responded, "I exclude that. I have said it several times." Tsarukyan also didn't comment whether he will form a coalition with Robert Kocharyan. Leaving the polling station the leader and the PM candidate of the "Freedom" party Hrant Bagratyan spoke with reporters and stated that he voted for a change. "I see the future of Armenia as I wrote it in our program. We have come to save the homeland. This is a frontline, a battlefield. This is a war which we are going to win,” Bagratyan said. After casting the ballot, Armenia's third President Serzh Sargsyan said he has made his choice back 33 years ago, adding that today his attitude has not changed. “I voted for secure, sovereign, economically developed Republics of Armenia and Artsakh, for powerful Army, for the inviolability of our borders, and for the reconciliation of our society. In a divided society nothing can be achieved: neither security nor economic progress," he said. Sargsyan added that these elections are greatly different from the previous ones. After voting and leaving the poll station, the PM candidate of the "Zartonq" party Ara Zohrabyan, gave an interview to the Public Television of Armenia. "We want a national government to be formed because the experience has shown that anti-national phenomena have suppressed our values, and the war was the vivid proof of that. We expect that with these elections our people will reject the anti-national. Regarding the chances of being elected, our expectation is that we will be the defenders of the national values in the National Assembly. Regardless of whether people manage to trust us in this short period of time, whether they vote or not, we will continue our work," he said. As of 16:00, the RA Police received 57 reports related to the elections As of 16:00 on June 20, the RA Police received 57 reports, 20 of which were processed according to the features of Articles 180 and 181 of the RA Criminal Procedure Code, and 37 did not contain features of an actual crime and are being checked as an accident. The RA Police informed that one of the cases containing features of an apparent crime was registered in the city of Yerevan, the other 19 cases were registered in the regions of the republic. The reports on the received crimes referred to voting more than once (14 cases), obstruction of the exercise of the right to vote (2 cases), violation of the secrecy of the ballot (1 case), intentional damage to property (1 case), infliction of bodily harm (1 case), other violation (1 case). Shooting on PM candidate Arman Babajanyan’s car A gunshot was fired at the windshield of PM candidate of the "Shirinyan-Babajanyan Alliance of Democrats" Arman Babajanyan’s car early in the morning. Babajanyan said he has reasons to believe that the shot fired at his car on election day was a warning from what he described as an “armed group” that is after him and the two other key figures of his alliance. "We are unbreakable, our will can’t be broken. We continue our work, and we call on our citizens to go out and vote without hesitation,” Babajanyan told reporters. He added that the suspect hasn’t been detected so far, and his car is now at the police station. Later the Investigation Committee reported that a criminal case has been initiated in relation to the shooting of the deputy candidate's car. A complex forensic-post-forensic examination has been appointed. The investigation is underway. "Civil Contract" to appeal the CEC's decision to issue a warning to Pashinyan The "Civil Contract" party decided to appeal the decision of the Central Electoral Commission, by which the commission had applied a warning to the party's candidate for Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. According to the party, the decision of the commission is not at all reasoned․ It should be reminded that yesterday the Central Electoral Commission of Armenia applied a warning to the "Civil Contract" party and its PM candidate Nikol Pashinyan for violating the order of the day of silence. This was after Pashinyan went live broadcast on Facebook yesterday, June 19.

20:55 - 20 June, 2021

#armvote2021. Daily News Digest [19.06.2021]

Read the daily news digest for June 18 here. 3 people arrested on suspicion of distributing electoral bribes 3 people, including an MP candidate and a traffic police officer, were arrested on suspicion of distributing electoral bribes. According to the materials of the criminal case initiated by the RA Special Investigation Service in relation to the cases of electoral bribery in Yeghegnadzor, Vayots Dzor region, as well as a mediation of electoral bribery, information was obtained that a group of people in the region mentioned above personally or through mediators distributed bribes to voters of the same region to participate in the snap parliamentary elections on June 20, 2021, and to vote for an alliance. An investigation is underway. MP candidate Gor Sedrakyan arrested The "I Have Honor" ("Pativ Unem") alliance's MP candidate Gor Sedrakyan got arrested, alliance member Arsen Babayan wrote about this on his Facebook page. "Let us state that Special Investigative Service's investigator Chilingaryan, who illegally arrested me on November 11, and with whom I had a very interesting conversation in court at that time, has just as illegally arrested Gor Sedrakyan, an MP candidate of the "I Have Honor" alliance," Babayan wrote. The “I Have Honor” alliance claims their headquarters and supporters are being terrorized The “I Have Honor” (“Pativ Unem”) alliance issued a statement claiming that the security structures literally started terrorizing the headquarters and supporters of the alliance. "Since early morning, the security forces have literally started terrorizing the headquarters and supporters of the "I Have Honor" alliance. Dozens of people are unjustifiably forced to report to the National Security Service, Special Investigative Service, the Police and are being detained for no reason. They search illegally our offices and in the apartments of our supporters, finding nothing, and in private conversations, they confess that they have an order to isolate the supporters of the alliance today and tomorrow. Dear members of the team, stay strong, do not give in to provocations. Be sure that there are only a few hours left to this abnormality," the statement reads. President Armen Sarkissian issued a statement prior to elections Prior June 20 snap parliamentary elections, Armenia's President Armen Sarkissian issued a statement calling on people to vote fairly and freely, according to their conscience only. Sarkissian called on all parties and alliances participating in the elections, and all parliamentary candidates to be reserved, and prudent in their actions, to call for restraint on their sympathizers and supporters, to be tolerant and respectful, not to violate moral boundaries for political purposes. He demanded from the law enforcement bodies that they strictly prevent any violation of the law and the right, be impartial, have maximum responsibility, and act in accordance with the law. “Whatever political force you give preference to, and whatever your decision is, remember that it is a decision for the sake of the homeland, for the sake of our state, for the sake of your future, and that of your family. Vote fairly and freely, and reckon with only and nothing but your conscience. Good luck, and all the best…," the statement reads. PM candidate Nikol Pashinyan issued a statement prior to snap parliamentary elections Acting Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's issued a statement prior to snap parliamentary elections. "Yesterday the pre-election campaign of the snap parliamentary elections ended. I want to call on all of you to go to the polls, make your choice, make your move, make your decision, form a government. Of course, we already see that there are some attempts to affect the election results, but we also see that it will not work, because our law enforcement system is very effective in countering all cases of electoral bribery, illegal influence on the will of voters, be sure that this practice will continue. And so the people's choice, the voting will be clearly recorded and expressed in the form of final election protocols. Dear compatriots, proud citizens of the Republic of Armenia, I hope and I am sure that you are strong. Why am I saying this? It's because the winning subject in tomorrow's elections must be one, that subject must be the citizen of the Republic of Armenia because his/her principled choice will be clearly and unequivocally recorded in the final election protocols. I hope and I am sure that you will go to the polls, make your choice, and will open a new page for Armenia, finally overcoming the political crisis, the riots that have taken place during the last 7-8 months. And so, my call, request, my exhortation is to definitely go to the polls and to make a choice,” the statement reads. “Armenia” alliance’s representative calls on the CEC to investigate Pashinyan’s statement Օfficial representative of the "Armenia" alliance's central headquarters Aram Vardevanyan issued a statement claiming Pashinyan's statement was direct propaganda using administrative leverages. "A few minutes ago, Nikol Pashinyan, the PM candidate of the "Civil Contract", using his social status as the acting Prime Minister, made a statement on his official Facebook page. Doing so, he called for "unconditional" participation in the voting. First, he violated the principle of the day of silence. Second, using his status, that is the service dependence of the executive bodies, urged them to take part in the voting, in the conditions where he is a PM candidate of one of the 26 forces. This was direct propaganda using administrative leverages, and allegedly undertaking the function of the CEC. We consider that the CEC should immediately convene a session to investigate this significant violation of the legitimacy of the electoral process based on this statement," the statement reads. Parliament Speaker Ararat Mirzoyan met with the members of the CSTO PA monitoring group Armenian Parliament Speaker Ararat Mirzoyan had a meeting with the members of the CSTO PA monitoring group. Welcoming the colleagues, the Speaker of the Parliament gave importance to the readiness of the organization to carry out an observation mission in Armenia, as well as assured that the elections are going to be free and transparent, complying not only with the RA legislation but also with international standards. During the meeting, Ararat Mirzoyan referred to the situation after the November 9 trilateral statement and exchanged views on the agenda of the forthcoming sitting of the CSTO PA Council. Later today Mirzoyan also met with the head of the OSCE / ODIHR monitoring group. Mirzoyan stressed the presence of a large number of OSCE / ODIHR observation missions in Armenia and highlighted the state's commitment to holding liberal, fair, transparent, and democratic elections.

20:50 - 19 June, 2021

#armvote2021. Daily News Digest [18.06.2021]

Read the daily news digest for June 17 here. PM candidates sum up the pre-election campaign and issue final statements to their voters Armenia's second president, the leader of the "Armenia" alliance Robert Kocharyan issued a message addressing Armenians on the last day of the election campaign. "The election campaign is coming to an end. In the past month, I toured the whole country along with my team members. I hadn’t been hosted by you for a long time - 13 years. I am thankful for the warm reception and hospitality. In the past days, I shook hands with thousands of people, looked them into eyes. I should say that I was trying to understand whether you have changed during this period. I am happy to confess that you haven’t changed and have remained the same hardworking, talented, sincere people who are able to differentiate between the good and the bad. June 20 is a fateful day. We are about to make a choice between decent peace and humiliating disgrace. We are to make a choice between a prosperous life and desperate poverty. I am sure you will never feel deceived. We will reject the lie, the ignorance, and the immoral. I call on you to come and rebuild our home, our Armenia and establish a lasting peace. Let us restore our dignity and heal our wounds. Let us give tribute to our heroes for their deeds. Be sure that everything will be fine,” Kocharyan wrote. During a press conference today the leader of the "Liberal" ("Azatakan") party Samvel Babayan summed up the electoral campaign, saying that it was interesting, but there was a lot of polarization, which he thinks is wrong. "That's because the whole media is in the hands of those people who have created a second pole, that's why it was difficult for everyone to open the barrier," he said Babayan mentioned that it was difficult to carry out a campaign in the whole republic within 12 days. "There are a number of difficulties, but we have already overcome them, leaving the decision to the people, they will decide," Babayan said. According to him, former authorities have carried out anti-propaganda against him for years, and it was difficult to break. He also mentioned that during the campaign they tried to present the truth to the public. "What I have spoken, what I have expressed, I am responsible for every word. Whatever decision people make, I will be thankful. If they trust us, we will build a strong army. If they don't, we are still thankful," Babayan said. The PM Candidate of the “I Have Honor” (“Pativ Unem”) alliance Arthur Vanetsyan issued a final pre-election statement, calling on people to throw the loser out of them and choose the coming victories. "Let us reject the lie and live in dignity, respecting each other. Let us remove the uninterrupted madness from our lives and calmly understand for a moment how we will get out of these ruins. Dear compatriots, aren't you afraid of this constant feeling of being defenseless? How are we going to raise our children in the conditions of borders with the enemy and the armed clashes in the center of the capital? Let us throw those who destroyed our security out of their seats and make our country one of the safest in the world again. This is our little corner of the big world, this is our home, this is only ours. Let us return our warm, young Armenia, our love, our hearth, our honor," Vanetsyan wrote. The PM candidate of the "Shirinyan-Babajanyan Alliance of Democrats" Arman Babajanyan issued a message addressing people on the last day of the election campaign, stating that on June 20 people will decide whether the wheel of Armenian history is turning backward or forwards. "Any fluctuation can be devastating. You must be clear in your decision, as with that you will decide what kind of Armenia we will have tomorrow,” he wrote. Babajanyan mentioned that during the campaign they have presented their programs on the life and future of democratic Armenia, the Armenian people. "The main ones are security, the core of which is defense, the system of ensuring national security, our borders. For the self-sufficient defense and security of Armenia, we need a strong industry, an army, a military industry that provides other spheres of life, and in order to have all of that, we need a high-quality education, and an informed, skilled society," he wrote. “Bright Armenia” party’s PM candidate Edmon Marukyan also issued a statement, noting that June 20 is an opportunity to end the country's division, hatred, propaganda of violence, and the irreconcilable environment by learning lessons from history. "The Armenian people, not learning lessons from their history, are fighting against each other. This is propaganda of hatred and violence, which, in fact, has reached its peak. Dear compatriots, go to the polls on June 20 and say that you are in favor of solidarity, consolidation, restoration of peace in the country. And we, with our own authority, will form a government of national unity, which will take the country out of this difficult, challenging situation and will lead towards development,” Marukyan wrote. Marukyan has also added that his party expects to become the third political force in the parliament again. “Fair Armenia” party’s PM candidate Norayr Norikyan has issued a statement, where he says Armenia must become a country of successful people and success. "We must change from being a consumer society to a creative and productive society, starting from scientific knowledge, to the creation of various military complexes aimed at defending our own state, and why not other markets. We see Armenia as a country completely free of corruption, with an educated society, with well-established and competitive education and healthcare systems, high technologies, a rich and developed state with qualitatively new villages. I am deeply convinced that the country can develop only through hard work, the welfare of the people can be multiplied only by creating goods, the number of people can become 10 million, even 110 million if living in the homeland becomes dignified and safe. Finally, the country can become highly developed, if it has a strong industry," Norikyan's statement reads. The Armenian National Congress considers the June 20 snap parliamentary elections to be a special operation to save the state, rather than an electoral fight. Member of the party's electoral list Levon Zurabyan mentioned that the course of the campaign was very logical and that these elections were mainly focused on the issues of whether Armenia has passed its way correctly since independence and where has it gone wrong. "That is why the main rivals in this election were the forces that represented the Armenian authorities at different times. And we can already say that those forces will have their large presence in the parliament," said Zurabyan. Citizen's Decision Social-Democratic Party's PM candidate Suren Sahakyan issued a message, noting that with the upcoming elections, people's task is to prove that they are not a society devoid of values and morality. “Our brothers who fell in the war sacrificed their lives for a better Armenia. When you are alone in the ballot box, remember that you are voting for them. So we have to imagine for what Armenia they sacrificed their most precious thing - life. Listen to their thousands of voices when voting,” Sahakyan wrote. Ambassadors accredited to Armenia issued a joint statement ahead of the parliamentary elections Heads of diplomatic missions accredited to Armenia have issued a statement ahead of the June 20 snap parliamentary elections. "The people of Armenia will head to the polls to elect a new parliament this Sunday. We, as the counterparts of the international community, encourage all participants to ensure that the high overall standard set in the previous elections of 2018 is met or exceeded. For that very purpose, we continued providing technical support to the Central Electoral Commission and other relevant bodies to help promote a credible election process that is undertaken in a transparent and professional manner. We encourage all parties to contribute to a respectful and peaceful environment conducive to the free expression of voters’ rights throughout this important step for the future of the country. We remain committed partners in support of peace and prosperity for everybody in Armenia," the statement reads. Gagik Tsarukyan thinks Artsakh should get international recognition In an interview with Public Television of Armenia, the leader of the "Prosperous Armenia" party Gagik Tsarukyan announced that there is a need to restore relations with Russia and sign a new military-political alliance. Referring to the opinions that instead of Russia it is necessary to cooperate with France and the United States, Tsarukyan said that the USA is coming as a partner of Turkey, a NATO member. "How can we take such a step today? We should do everything so that Russia does not leave. Russia should stay, the ties should become stronger, and we will not allow Turkey or its Turkish partners, NATO members to come. Do you have any idea of what our status might be? We could be landlords in our property, and any patriotic person should be against this. This is my point of view, that is the main decision of the" Prosperous Armenia" party," Tsarukyan said. Tsarukyan also referred to the Artsakh issue. "In order to correctly determine the fate of Artsakh, we must work for it to have international recognition. Only in case of international recognition, we can definitely demand our lands, which belonged to Artsakh, and which today the Azerbaijanis have taken," he said. Russia wishing Armenia successful parliamentary elections Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov announced that Russia wishes Armenia successful parliamentary elections. The reporters' question as to which of the political forces does Moscow support in the elections, Peskov described as "strange". "We certainly wish our close ally and partner successful elections," the Kremlin spokesman added.

20:45 - 18 June, 2021

#armvote2021. Daily News Digest [17.06.2021]

Read the daily news digest for June 16 here. The pre-election meeting headed by Nikol Pashinyan is taking place at the Republic Square The pre-election meeting headed by Nikol Pashinyan is taking place at the Republic Square now. The PM candidate of the "Civil Contract" had invited citizens to a meeting today at 20:00, stating that the most important thing during this meeting must be everybody's participation. Pashinyan will deliver a program speech and will talk about their plans. PM candidate Ara Zohrabyan explained the reasons why he has entered politics The PM candidate of the "Zartonq" party Ara Zohrabyan, who is also the chairman of the Chamber of Advocates, says their party does not aspire to get the majority of the votes in snap parliamentary elections, as it is a newly created party, however, they are ready to defend the national value system in the National Assembly. "As a citizen, lawyer, and the Chairman of the Chamber of Advocates, I would never want to enter politics if my country was not put in this situation. The feeling of danger has forced me to get out of my comfort zone," Zohrabyan has mentioned in an interview with armtimes.com. Ex-deputy PM Armen Gevorgyan issued a statement related to the upcoming elections Former RA Deputy Prime Minister, former Minister of Territorial Administration, Chief of Staff of the "Armenia" alliance Armen Gevorgyan has issued a statement calling on the leaders of all communities in Armenia to refuse using administrative leverage "Dear community leaders, I appeal to you because I am confident in your patriotism and state consciousness. I address you as a person who has worked for many years as the Minister of Territorial Administration and is well acquainted with the problems of the communities of Armenia. I appeal to you with the conviction that many of you are aware of my approaches to justice and principle. They have not changed. Today we are facing a very important choice. I would not like to make this statement, but yes, we are in a situation where tomorrow may be really late. Tomorrow our regrets may not have any value, as they will not change the course of our history. We can turn this process in our favor only with the right choice on June 20. Only good wishes will not insure us from anything. This choice is as simple as it is complicated. The choice is about Armenia's existence, it is either in our unceasing humiliation or in our dignified peace,” Gevorgyan wrote. Ex-President Serzh Sargsyan suggests creating a commission for investigating the 2020 Artsakh war During a campaign meeting with the residents of the Shirak region, Armenia's third President Serzh Sargsyan said the Republican Party of Armenia has one wish, that is to create a commission, which will investigate and find out the reasons for the defeat in the 2020 Artsakh war. "If they want, I can be the chairman of that commission. We are not full of hatred towards anyone, but in memory of more than 5.000 victims, someone must be held accountable for the lost territories, or at least we should know why it happened," Sargsyan said. Robert Kocharyan thinks Armenia has three groups of problems During a campaign meeting with voters in Vardenis, the PM candidate of the "Armenia" alliance, Armenia's second president Robert Kocharyan talked about the problems Armenia is facing today. "The problems the country's facing can be divided into three groups. The first group is for security issues, the second is related to the economic situation. We have an economic crisis that will deepen, as there is an increase in unemployment, poverty, and emigration. The third group of problems is about the internal political situation. If it wasn't for the internal political crisis, there would be no snap elections," Kocharyan said. Edmon Marukyan thinks a government of national accord and unity is needed During a conversation with reporters, the PM candidate of the "Bright Armenia" party Edmon Marukyan stated that currently no other political force in Armenia can be considered a force whom everybody supports and that no one can be considered as "people's leader". Marukyan told reporters that according to the electoral situation, no force will win the elections. "As "Bright Armenia" says, the people must win. This means that for the first time in Armenia, a government of national accord and unity must be formed in the Parliament, where everyone will feel obliged to support that professional government, each with its own contribution. Only in that case can get the country out of this situation," Marukyan said. CIS observers to monitor parliamentary elections in Armenia The international observers of the CIS Inter-parliamentary assembly are starting their short-term monitoring for Armenia’s snap parliamentary elections. On June 19 the CIS observers are scheduled to have several meetings in the Armenian Parliament. The monitoring group will hold discussions with the leadership of the Parliament, as well as with the representatives of political forces participating in the elections. Later the same day the CIS observers will also meet with the Chairman of the Central Electoral Commission of Armenia Tigran Mukuchyan to exchange views on the election processes. The representatives of the monitoring group will continue their mission on June 20 – the voting day. Later the same day will also meet with the representatives of the OSCE/ODIHR and on June 21 they will sum up the results of the elections in a press conference. CIS observers will conduct their mission in Armenia at the invitation of the RA Parliament Speaker Ararat Mirzoyan. Armenia's Ombudsman concerned over children's participation in pre-electoral campaigns Armenia's Ombudsman Arman Tatoyan has issued a statement where he expresses concerns over children's participation in pre-electoral campaigns. "In the framework of the snap parliamentary elections, the Human Rights Defender has registered problematic situations related to the participation of children in political rallies, as well as situations that violated their best interests. The participation of children in rallies during the election campaign, where hatred and insult, words associated with violence are heard, is of great concern. There are also cases of swearing in public in the presence of children. In this context, it is especially unacceptable to make such calls to the pre-election campaign with the participation of children, thus creating an atmosphere of hatred for them. Children are also more vulnerable to these questions because those words can quickly transform among them. The parents, trustees, and other people responsible for children should consider the expediency of involving the children in such political gatherings, taking these facts into account. The Ombudsman states that there is no ban on the participation of children in peaceful gatherings, including political ones. It is important to ensure the proper participation of the child in peaceful rallies or other mass events, as well as the free expression of the child's opinion. However, when considering the participation of children in rallies, it is necessary to be guided by the imperative to give priority to their best interests, taking into account the specific situations. The best interests of the child should always be taken into account as the absolute value, while not considering them is a violation of the child's rights," wrote Tatoyan.

20:45 - 17 June, 2021

#armvote2021. Daily News Digest [16.06.2021]

Read the daily news digest for June 15 here. 172 cases of electoral violations registered by the RA Police Before and during the electoral campaign, the RA Police has registered 172 cases of electoral violations, 101 of which are processed, and the rest is being checked. There have been 17 cases of electoral bribery or obstruction of free expression of the voter's will, 10 cases of coercion or obstruction of participation in the election campaign, 1 case of obstruction of a journalist's legal professional activity, 14 cases of intentional damage to property, 8 cases of hooliganism, beatings and other threats and 6 cases of different violations. Nikol Pashinyan commented on election bribe and the Amulsar issue in Vayots Dzor During a meeting with citizens in Vayots Dzor, the PM candidate of the "Civil Contract" party Nikol Pashinyan talked about election bribes. "Have you heard that the opposition distributes election bribes? It's absurd, but look, there is also good news. At the moment, five people have been arrested for electoral bribery," he said. Pashinyan mentioned that 55 people are involved in distributing electoral bribes, and stressed that the law enforcement bodies have promised a rather large "harvest". "To make that "harvest" more abundant, the "Civil Contract" promises a reward of $ 1.000, which is 500K AMD, for the citizens who film a video proving an attempt of giving or receiving an electoral bribe," Pashinyan stated. Later the same day, he also commented on the topic of Amulsar. He stated that the government’s task on the operation of the Amulsar gold mine is to come to a balanced decision that will be according to Armenia's interests. "We know that we face the situation related to Amulsar. And we continue working on this topic. Some people insist that the Amulsar mine operates, whereas others claim the opposite. But we need to come to a balanced decision. When the government finalizes any certain program or a suggestion, I will personally come and talk to you. We need to solve this issue together by understanding every detail of the matter”, he said. Robert Kocharyan expressed confidence in winning the upcoming parliamentary elections During a meeting with citizens in Artik the second president of Armenia, and the PM candidate of the "Armenia" alliance Robert Kocharyan said they are confident about winning the snap parliamentary elections and taking responsibility for the country. According to him, during the elections, the authorities should be evaluated by the fulfillment of their promises, and the opposition should be evaluated by what promises it makes and whether it has the potential to fulfill those promises․ Kocharyan added that they will be better with their experience and knowledge, and criticized the personnel resources of current authorities. The PM candidate also talked about border security. “The country's security is currently facing serious problems. In addition to the restoration of our armed forces, it is necessary to try to further modernize the Russian military presence. It can and should be done, especially taking into account the developments in the region. At the same time, it is necessary to develop our own armed forces. We have lost our status of being combat-ready; it must be returned. The world is like that: if you are weak, you will not be taken into account," Kocharyan added. PM candidate Norayr Norikyan promised his party will reduce the time of compulsory military service if elected In an interview with Public Television of Armenia the leader and the PM candidate of the "Fair Armenia" party Norayr Norikyan said that if his party wins the elections, they will reduce the time of compulsory military service to 18 months. According to Norikyan, society's whole potential should be focused on the army in the upcoming years. "It is necessary to create a qualitatively new Armed Forces. We believe that not 18-year-old conscripts should be on combat duty within the borders of the Republic of Armenia, but professional border guards, as well as the protection of our borders, should be equipped with modern robotic technical equipment," he added. Edmon Marukyan predicts clashes after the elections in case of any of the favorite political force’s victory During a conversation with reporters, the leader and the PM candidate of the “Bright Armenia” party Edmon Marukyan said in case of any of the favorite political force's victory, there will be clashes. "This election is for us to find a solution. If we do not find a solution, it will be worse. In case of any political force's victory, there will be clashes. It means if the two favorite forces do not win, then people force everyone solidarity, and that means forming a government of national accord, that is the key, " said Edmon Marukyan. He also mentioned that he does not aspire to become a PM, and imagines the future governance of the country in a different format. Armenia’s Ombudsman concerned over Pashinyan's constant display of hammer and figurative comparisons Armenia’s Human Rights Defender Arman Tatoyan has issued a statement which refers to acting PM candidate Nikol Pashinyan’s electoral campaign in Syunik on Tuesday (15.06). "The constant display of a hammer and the figurative comparisons, which can make people think of solving problems with a hammer, are inadmissible. Threatening other political forces participating in the election campaign with law enforcement agencies is inadmissible. The context in which the term “steel mandate” is constantly used is worrying, as it is being associated with human rights violations. After speeches with such rhetoric by the acting Prime Minister, other high-ranking officials also start making statements with the same principle and with a vocabulary full of hatred and violence, threatening with the intervention of the Police. The status of the RA Prime Minister does not include making threats against local self-government bodies, in particular, community leaders. The matter is that community leaders are officials elected by a primary mandate, by secret voting of the RA citizens. However, such an assessment by the Acting Prime Minister is first of all problematic in terms of guaranteeing the citizens' political rights, and as a priority - the right to elect. The speech of the RA Acting Prime Minister about mass dismissals is connected with mass violations of labor rights and arbitrary interventions. The necessity to address the mentioned issues is also due to the fact that during the pre-election campaign, the RA Acting Prime Minister is perceived by the people as the RA Prime Minister, and not as the acting,” Tatoyan added.

20:40 - 16 June, 2021

#armvote2021. Daily News Digest [15.06.2021]

Read the daily news digest for June 14 here. The Independent Observer has reported on election crimes The Independent Observer submitted reports about crimes yesterday and today in the following cases: Promising electoral bribes for voting in favor of the "Armenia" alliance by the heads of Gyulagarak and Odzun communities of Lori region and abuse of administrative resources (Articles 149.1 and 154.2 of the Criminal Code); Promising election bribe for voting in favor of the "Armenia" alliance by the deputy mayor and the police officer in the town of Masis, Ararat region (Article 154.2 of the Criminal Code); Bribery by the employees of the dormitories of Vanadzor city of Lori region and the headquarters of the "Armenia" alliance for not voting (removing the ballot paper) for the "Civil Contract" party (Articles 154 and 154.2 of the Criminal Code); Distribution of electoral bribes in favor of the "Armenia" alliance by the condominium employees on Khorenatsi Street in Yerevan (Article 154.2 of the Criminal Code); Payment of voters' utilities by the representatives of the "Armenia" alliance in the 15th district of Yerevan (Article 154.2 of the Criminal Code). Pashinyan visited Goris and talked about border security During a meeting with the residents of Goris, the PM candidate of the "Civil Contract" party Nikol Pashinyan talked about the problems of the region and security. Pashinyan singled out the lack of pastures. Presenting statistics, he mentioned that there are 1 million hectares of pastures in Armenia, and only half of them are used. In other words, there are 500.000 hectares of pasture in the country, which are not used, and today there is a problem of managing the available resources properly. Nikol Pashinyan noted that one of the reasons for not using it is the lack of roads leading to pastures. Pashinyan also spoke about border security. "Our position is unequivocal, and it is supported by our other partners. Azerbaijani troops must leave our borders. There can be no other opinion. We work closely with Russia and the other OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairing countries. The Russian border guards will be deployed at about a dozen border checkpoints along the border, after which there will be permanent withdrawal of armed forces. Then, demarcation and delimitation of the border in the Sotk-Khoznavar section under international auspices are planned. Regarding the border protection issues in the Goris-Meghri section, I would like to say that the government has allocated 2.5 billion AMD to build border checkpoints so that border protection is at a high level. In the near future, this border area will be in full condition," Pashinyan said. PM candidate Robert Kocharyan had a meeting with former PM Karen Karapetyan The meeting of the PM candidate Robert Kocharyan and former PM Karen Karapetyan took place today at the central headquarters of the "Armenia" alliance. "A number of programs and projects to be implemented in the near future were discussed," the statement reads. It should be noted that earlier, in an interview with Russian media, the leader of the "Armenia" alliance Robert Kocharyan had stated that he regrets Karapetyan has left, adding that he is ready to make an offer to appoint him to a post. Earlier, Karen Karapetyan had issued a statement expressing support for Robert Kocharyan in the upcoming parliamentary elections. Kocharyan commented on Pashinyan’s statements During a campaign meeting with the residents of Avshar village in Ararat Province, the leader of the “Armenia” alliance Robert Kocharyan referred to the statements made by PM candidate Nikol Pashinyan about being "armed" with a hammer by which he is going to "establish order". “Punishing with a “hammer” is savagery; there are courts and justice for that. Justice is needed; but not to punish with a 'hammer;' there is a judge and justice for that. Punishing with a hammer is the method of savage tribes; I have only seen such a thing in old movies. If you took the hammer, take the axe, too; this is the method of savage tribes. I do not even know how to describe it,” he said. PM candidate Andrias Ghukasyan talked about signing a military agreement with France During an interview with armtimes.com, the PM candidate of the "Free Homeland" alliance Andrias Ghukasyan said their team believes that Armenia should return to cooperation with France, the United States, and the other Minsk Group Co-Chairs. "We believe that Armenia should take drastic steps in both the OSCE and the UN platforms, and it should be noted that Turkey and Azerbaijan have violated the most important international principles. The parties in our alliance and their leaders do not depend on either Moscow or the Armenian oligarchy, that is why they are able to implement that policy for the benefit of the Armenian people," he said. Ghukasyan added that he considers himself competitive with both Kocharyan and Pashinyan and their goal is to fight for the second round of the elections. "We think this election can not end in the first round, no political force can get the necessary votes. Our most important issue is to sign a military-political cooperation agreement with France by the end of this year for the rearmament and training of the Armenian army. In the economic sphere, there are opportunities to bring large international investments to Armenia, and also raise the issue of Artsakh's recognition at the UN General Assembly in September this year, which will bring a breakthrough change in the status of Artsakh," Ghukasyan stated. Armenia's Ombudsman expresses deep concern over the way political forces address each other Armenia's Ombudsman Arman Tatoyan wrote an announcement on his Facebook page, expressing concern over the way political forces address each other. "Unfortunately, swearing has become a vicious phenomenon of this election campaign. Different political forces and figures are cursing each other directly in public with vulgar words and sexual insults. I warn you that those words spread quickly among the people, then people swear at each other, swear at you with the words you use. There are also cases when, despite complaining about the swearing, they are eagerly waiting for the swearing to be actively spread through fake and real pages, pretending to be a victim. At the same time, with artificial attacks from the fake pages supporting some political force or figure, they start demanding the Human Rights Defender to address each word of the curse separately and give an assessment of specific situations. In recent days, applications for protection of officials have resumed, openly ignoring the fact that the Ombudsman is not investigating a case of swearing between a supporter of an official or individuals, and "forgetting" that there are law enforcement agencies and courts for that," Tatoyan wrote. Tigran Arzakantsyan can not participate in the parliamentary elections The Court of Appeal rejected Tigran Arzakantsyan's application and left the CEC decision in force. This was informed by Tigran Arzakantsyan's lawyer Vahe Hovsepyan. It should be noted that the decision of the CEC not to register Armenia's Democratic Party PM candidate Tigran Arzakantsyan was appealed in the Court of Appeal. Today, the court, chaired by judge Grigor Arakelyan, rejected the party's application, which means that Arzakantsyan cannot participate in the elections. Arzakantsyan’s lawyer also mentioned that if there was an opportunity to review the verdict, they would apply to the Court of Appeal, but such verdicts are not subject to appeal. The CEC invalidated its decision on Mihran Poghosyan's registration The Central Electoral Commission of Armenia has invalidated its decision No. 129-A on invalidating the registration of Mihran Poghosyan, an MP candidate included in the electoral list of the "I Have Honor" ("Pativ Unem") alliance.

20:40 - 15 June, 2021

#armvote2021. Daily News Digest [14.06.2021]

Read the daily news digest for June 13 here. Robert Kocharyan says he has sufficient grounds to believe that there is a chance to re-establish Artsakh Armenia's second president, PM candidate Robert Kocharyan, told the residents of Etchmiadzin that their team is capable and can restore the country’s manageability. “The public administration system working as a clock should go unnoticed. The work done by the government should be noticeable in people’s lives every day. We say that this is the political team that is ready to stop this overthrow, restore the country’s manageability, and deal with all your concerns. We can do everything so that there will be a normal course in public services, administration field in a very short period of time”, Robert Kocharyan said. Kocharyan also noted that he has sufficient grounds to believe that there is a chance to re-establish Artsakh, at least within the framework of the NKAO. "The biggest problem is that the statement of November 9, 2020, is envisioned for a period of five years. In 4.5 years, Azerbaijan may demand the withdrawal of Russian peacekeepers. This creates a lot of uncertainty. First of all, we need to get assurances that this will not happen; this creates a lot of uncertainty In addition, Kocharyan also promised to do everything possible to extend the life of the nuclear power plant of Armenia. Nikol Pashinyan spoke about the expectations from the reopening of the "October 27" case and the uncompromising fight against election bribe At a meeting with the residents of the Ararat community PM candidate Nikol Pashinyan, who heads the pre-election list of the "Civil Contract" party, stated that in the June 20 snap parliamentary elections the citizens will have the opportunity to force the organizers of the "October 27 case to hold responsibility. Pashinyan noted that since February of 2020, the preliminary investigation of the "October 27" case has been reopened based on the application of the victim's legal successor Anahit Bakhshyan, but later the case has not been investigated because of COVID and the war. "The preliminary investigation is open, the National Security Service is conducting the investigation. But with your vote, you can put a special responsibility on our judiciary, saying that these cases should be thoroughly investigated, and all possible measures should be taken to reveal that case. You can clearly define that public demand by your vote," Pashinyan emphasized. “Civil Contract” party’s PM candidate also announced an uncompromising fight against those who give election bribe. “Regular arrests have taken place. This time in the Malatia-Sebastia administrative district of Yerevan. No one must doubt the following: firstly, with a steel hammer, I will personally deal with all those who are trying to force the electoral will of the citizens of Armenia and have an illegal influence. I say that all those people, be they in the local self-government bodies, in private agencies, who will try to show an illegal influence on the citizens’ expression of will, I will personally deal with them with the “steel” mandate”, he said. Pashinyan warned that on June 20 the times of the velvet will pass and the times of the “steel” mandate will come (referring to the Velvet Revolution in 2018). David Sanasaryan claims their objective goal is to be in the parliament and serve the interests of the citizens in all respects The leader of the "Sovereign Armenia" party, Davit Sanasaryan, referred to the issue of not forming alliances with other political forces. In an interview with SHANT, Sanasaryan noted that there are several reasons for that. "There have been discussions with various forces. There are different people with whom I hadn't been through anything, but since there was an idea to present an alternative to the citizens, to have more involvement, to take on greater responsibility, we tried to have discussions with different political forces. I can say something: The citizen, the voter of Armenia is ten times more adequate than the so-called elites or elected representatives of the political forces operating in Armenia," Sanasaryan said. He also noted that this situation in Armenia is not the result of the revolution declared by Nikol Pashinyan. "I do not single out the thesis that the revolution brought Armenia to this state. We have been weak since independence. This is not the result of the revolution, this is the result of living wrong for many years," Sanasaryan said. He added that their objective goal is to be in the parliament and to serve the interests of the citizens in all respects. Edmon Marukyan thinks those who say they can start a war after the elections, must either be seeking adventures or be a liar During a briefing with journalists today the leader of the "Bright Armenia" party Edmon Marukyan talked about the demarcation process. "The issue of demarcation must be implemented now or later, but I once said, and now I repeat, that it cannot be discussed in this situation when they have put the gun on your head and are claiming to draw borders. What has Azerbaijan done? It has entered the territory of the Republic of Armenia, our sovereign territory, and says it will not leave until we sign this document. As a result of signing that document, we undertake to create a commission, by which we are obliged to implement the decisions of that commission․ Nobody knows what the commission will decide, and in this sense, they are forcing us to do something with a gun on our heads. Yes, the borders must be drawn, clarified, but it cannot be done in a military way. In this sense, Azerbaijan's action is not perceived by the international community," he said. Marukyan noted that no political force in Armenia says that it can cancel the document signed on November 9. He stressed that everyone understands the cancellation of that document is a new war. Armenia's Ex-PM Karen Karapetyan expressed support for Robert Kocharyan Former Prime Minister of Armenia Karen Karapetyan has issued a statement on the upcoming parliamentary elections expressing his support for Robert Kocharyan. "Our reality today is a minefield that the country must pass through. There is no possibility to bypass. It is necessary to go through it with big effectiveness and minimal losses. It is necessary to realize the price of each mistake and the inadmissibility of seeking adventures. Robert Kocharyan can provide that. The combination of personal and administrative qualities required of a director during his occupation in government positions, such as his experience in a competitive and multicultural business environment, allows him to build a professional team to get the country out of crisis and lead to a prosperous future," he wrote. Tigran Arzakantsyan has sued the Central Electoral Commission The PM candidate of the Armenian Democratic Party Tigran Arzakantsyan, whose electoral registration was invalidated recently, has sued the Central Electoral Commission. He has applied to the Administrative Court, demanding to invalidate the decision No. 133-A of the Central Electoral Commission dated 10.06.2021, by which the CEC had declared Arzakantsyan's registration invalid. The lawsuit has already been accepted. It should be noted that Tigran Arzakantsyan's registration has been invalidated on the grounds that he has not lived in Armenia for the last 4 years.

20:40 - 14 June, 2021