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CHOICE IS YOURS: LOCAL OBSERVERS SAY BRIBES MASQUERADE AS "CHARITY"
By Gayane Lazarian
ArmeniaNow reporter
03.04.12
Eighty two long-term observers of the 'Choice is Yours' NGO which
carries out an observation mission in Yerevan and provinces of Armenia,
warn that members of the ruling coalition - Republican Party of Armenia
(RPA), Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP) and Orinats Yerkir (Country of
Law) Party distribute election bribes under the cover of charity.
Hambardzum Hambardzumyan, head of 'Choice is Yours', says that the
preserves, coffee, perfume or eyeglasses given to people as March 8
presents are election bribes. He brings as an example a recent case
when people were offered even vacuum cleaners.
"The reason is the poor social-economic situation, when people have
to sell their votes at 5,000 drams (about $13). If the percentage
of election bribes in small towns is small, then in remote villages
it is widespread - charity, presents, support," he says adding that
the election bribes affect the general outcome of the elections by
30 percent.
The NGO is concerned over the increase in the number of voters on the
lists. Hambardzumyan says that after the observers' examinations they
are planning to appeal to the Central Election Commission (CEC).
(According to the official data reported by the Passport and Visa
Department of the Police of Armenia, the number of voters in Armenia
is 2,485,844; this index has been increased since the Presidential
elections in 2008 by 165,469 voters.)
Hambardzumyan in his turn says that according to their data, there
are many voters' lists which contain names of dead people; there are
people who are not included on the lists at all. There are apartment
buildings which have no address, and it is not clear where (in which
polling station) the residents of those buildings should go to vote.
Eight parties, one bloc and more than 100 individuals are contesting
the May 6 Parliamentary elections by the proportional and majoritarian
systems of representation. The election campaign officially starts
on April 8.
By Gayane Lazarian
ArmeniaNow reporter
03.04.12
Eighty two long-term observers of the 'Choice is Yours' NGO which
carries out an observation mission in Yerevan and provinces of Armenia,
warn that members of the ruling coalition - Republican Party of Armenia
(RPA), Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP) and Orinats Yerkir (Country of
Law) Party distribute election bribes under the cover of charity.
Hambardzum Hambardzumyan, head of 'Choice is Yours', says that the
preserves, coffee, perfume or eyeglasses given to people as March 8
presents are election bribes. He brings as an example a recent case
when people were offered even vacuum cleaners.
"The reason is the poor social-economic situation, when people have
to sell their votes at 5,000 drams (about $13). If the percentage
of election bribes in small towns is small, then in remote villages
it is widespread - charity, presents, support," he says adding that
the election bribes affect the general outcome of the elections by
30 percent.
The NGO is concerned over the increase in the number of voters on the
lists. Hambardzumyan says that after the observers' examinations they
are planning to appeal to the Central Election Commission (CEC).
(According to the official data reported by the Passport and Visa
Department of the Police of Armenia, the number of voters in Armenia
is 2,485,844; this index has been increased since the Presidential
elections in 2008 by 165,469 voters.)
Hambardzumyan in his turn says that according to their data, there
are many voters' lists which contain names of dead people; there are
people who are not included on the lists at all. There are apartment
buildings which have no address, and it is not clear where (in which
polling station) the residents of those buildings should go to vote.
Eight parties, one bloc and more than 100 individuals are contesting
the May 6 Parliamentary elections by the proportional and majoritarian
systems of representation. The election campaign officially starts
on April 8.