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DAVIT ISHKHANYAN: VOTERS IN ASHAN UNDERWENT PRESSURE
KarabakhOpen
20-05-2008 13:02:31
On Sunday local elections were held in several communities in
Karabakh. No incidents were reported. Including in the village
of Ashan of the region of Martuni where Norair Khachatryan, the
former head of the kolkhoz in the early 1990s, became head of the
community. He won the election with a small advantage of 14 votes
(190-176). The other candidate was Armen Balasanyan, non-partisan,
whom the ARF Dashnaktsutyun endorsed.
It is notable that in 2000 the council of the village gave a vote
of no confidence to Norair Khachatryan who won the race (perhaps it
was the only case in Karabakh). Charges were brought against him for
misconduct however the court dismissed the case.
We talked to the representative of the ARF Dashnaktsutyun to Artsakh
Davit Ishkhanyan who comes from Ashan. "As I voted on Sunday, I
witnessed unpleasant things," Davit Ishkhanyan said.
It turns out that the winner got the small advantage through pressure
but not by the regional administration and the police. "The deputy
minister of defense Vardan Balayan and the commander Haik Sargsyan
pressured on part of the population, especially those who serve in
the army. They helped their candidate win through different methods,
including intimidation," said Davit Ishkhanyan.
According to him, there was no clash of ideas of the candidates. They
merely wanted their candidate to win. "They wanted to have anyone
but the candidate of the ARF Dashnaktsutyun," Davit Ishkhanyan said.
The leader of Dashnaktsutyun in Karabakh voiced concern that people
are insecure from such pressure. "We warned the government about
the pre-election situation but nobody took action to prevent this
situation," said Davit Ishkhanyan. He thinks this situation is the
result of impunity in the country.
The political activist thinks impunity will annihilate the efforts of
the government to carry out reforms. "People rely on the new government
but arbitrariness and impunity will eventually crush their hopes,"
said Davit Ishkhanyan.
He noted that as far as he knows the elections in other communities
were compliant, although the race was tense in Chartar. In addition,
Davit Ishkhanyan says democracy is for ourselves rather than for
display.
KarabakhOpen
20-05-2008 13:02:31
On Sunday local elections were held in several communities in
Karabakh. No incidents were reported. Including in the village
of Ashan of the region of Martuni where Norair Khachatryan, the
former head of the kolkhoz in the early 1990s, became head of the
community. He won the election with a small advantage of 14 votes
(190-176). The other candidate was Armen Balasanyan, non-partisan,
whom the ARF Dashnaktsutyun endorsed.
It is notable that in 2000 the council of the village gave a vote
of no confidence to Norair Khachatryan who won the race (perhaps it
was the only case in Karabakh). Charges were brought against him for
misconduct however the court dismissed the case.
We talked to the representative of the ARF Dashnaktsutyun to Artsakh
Davit Ishkhanyan who comes from Ashan. "As I voted on Sunday, I
witnessed unpleasant things," Davit Ishkhanyan said.
It turns out that the winner got the small advantage through pressure
but not by the regional administration and the police. "The deputy
minister of defense Vardan Balayan and the commander Haik Sargsyan
pressured on part of the population, especially those who serve in
the army. They helped their candidate win through different methods,
including intimidation," said Davit Ishkhanyan.
According to him, there was no clash of ideas of the candidates. They
merely wanted their candidate to win. "They wanted to have anyone
but the candidate of the ARF Dashnaktsutyun," Davit Ishkhanyan said.
The leader of Dashnaktsutyun in Karabakh voiced concern that people
are insecure from such pressure. "We warned the government about
the pre-election situation but nobody took action to prevent this
situation," said Davit Ishkhanyan. He thinks this situation is the
result of impunity in the country.
The political activist thinks impunity will annihilate the efforts of
the government to carry out reforms. "People rely on the new government
but arbitrariness and impunity will eventually crush their hopes,"
said Davit Ishkhanyan.
He noted that as far as he knows the elections in other communities
were compliant, although the race was tense in Chartar. In addition,
Davit Ishkhanyan says democracy is for ourselves rather than for
display.