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174,000 REASONS
HAKOB BADALYAN
Story from Lragir.am News:
http://www.lragir.am/engsrc/comments25624.html
Published: 11:19:49 - 29/03/2012
The publication of the official number of voters revealed that after
the presidential elections of 2008 it increased by 173,927. Earlier
official statistics had reported that the population of Armenia has
decreased, making this dramatic increase of the number of voters
appear strange.
The government has thought some explanation indeed. But whatever the
government thinks, the election practices throughout independence and
the history of its "evolution" show that the task is to facilitate
the fulfillment of the wishes of the government in the process of
concocting the official outcome of the elections. In other words,
the government ensures additional 174,000 votes for itself.
It is also clear that these 174,000 votes will be a challenge to the
opposition. One can call on the citizens for take precautions, to
make sure that they find themselves in the voters' registers, find
and withdraw the names of people registered additionally at their
addresses, as well as their dead or migrated neighbors. However, it
would be too ingenuous to think that this civilian process will be so
powerful to be able to neutralize at least one fourth of these 174,000.
The forces which need to protect their votes in the upcoming
parliamentary elections must find a way of neutralizing those 174,000
votes. And not only the opposition but also the ruling Prosperous
Armenia Party needs to protect its votes. The PAP announced ready to
prevent its votes from being stolen or lost.
Certainly, the problem is more urgent for the Armenian National
Congress, Heritage and Free Democrats and the ARF Dashnaktsutyun.
So, by way of additional 174,000 voters the government provides the
opposition forces with an excellent opportunity for joint discussions,
joint actions and agreement.
It is not Precinct 7, the story of Raffi and Nikol, the row of Heritage
and Congress. It is 174,000 votes which will be added on top of all
the other votes for the government, both real and falsified, ensuring
that the Republicans make its parliamentary majority even vaster.
Hence, there is a clear reason for the political forces outside the
Republican orbit to come to terms. One force will hardly be able to
solve the issue of these 174,000 alone. And if all the forces agree
on joint action, even the weakest effect will be stronger than the
strongest effect of the actions of one force.
At the same time, this problem will act like litmus paper for the
wishes and goals of the participants of the elections, not absolutely
but significantly.
HAKOB BADALYAN
Story from Lragir.am News:
http://www.lragir.am/engsrc/comments25624.html
Published: 11:19:49 - 29/03/2012
The publication of the official number of voters revealed that after
the presidential elections of 2008 it increased by 173,927. Earlier
official statistics had reported that the population of Armenia has
decreased, making this dramatic increase of the number of voters
appear strange.
The government has thought some explanation indeed. But whatever the
government thinks, the election practices throughout independence and
the history of its "evolution" show that the task is to facilitate
the fulfillment of the wishes of the government in the process of
concocting the official outcome of the elections. In other words,
the government ensures additional 174,000 votes for itself.
It is also clear that these 174,000 votes will be a challenge to the
opposition. One can call on the citizens for take precautions, to
make sure that they find themselves in the voters' registers, find
and withdraw the names of people registered additionally at their
addresses, as well as their dead or migrated neighbors. However, it
would be too ingenuous to think that this civilian process will be so
powerful to be able to neutralize at least one fourth of these 174,000.
The forces which need to protect their votes in the upcoming
parliamentary elections must find a way of neutralizing those 174,000
votes. And not only the opposition but also the ruling Prosperous
Armenia Party needs to protect its votes. The PAP announced ready to
prevent its votes from being stolen or lost.
Certainly, the problem is more urgent for the Armenian National
Congress, Heritage and Free Democrats and the ARF Dashnaktsutyun.
So, by way of additional 174,000 voters the government provides the
opposition forces with an excellent opportunity for joint discussions,
joint actions and agreement.
It is not Precinct 7, the story of Raffi and Nikol, the row of Heritage
and Congress. It is 174,000 votes which will be added on top of all
the other votes for the government, both real and falsified, ensuring
that the Republicans make its parliamentary majority even vaster.
Hence, there is a clear reason for the political forces outside the
Republican orbit to come to terms. One force will hardly be able to
solve the issue of these 174,000 alone. And if all the forces agree
on joint action, even the weakest effect will be stronger than the
strongest effect of the actions of one force.
At the same time, this problem will act like litmus paper for the
wishes and goals of the participants of the elections, not absolutely
but significantly.