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DIRECTOR OF LINKS: IF ARMENIAN NATIONAL CONGRESS IS REPRESENTED IN THE NEW PARLIAMENT, ITS STRATEGY WILL HAVE TO CHANGE
by Oksana Musaelyan
arminfo
Friday, May 4, 23:29
Ahead of parliamentary elections in Armenia Links published a series
of reviews concerning the political landscape, including covering
opinion polls. Which key characteristics are being marked by this
pre-election campaign?
There have been several positive features in the campaign. First of
all there is a competitive environment. Voters have a choice between
several parties and blocs and each party has had an opportunity to
present its point of view. In this regard the media has played a
positive role.
Do you think there are enough prerequisites to hold free and fair
elections or will it be another profanation?
I think the campaign has been a positive factor. There are problems
regarding the administration of the elections , and the full impact
of this will be seen on election day itself and immediately afterwards.
The most serious problem is connected with the voters list. Given that
this has been a problem with Armenian elections in the past and has
been mentioned before as one main causes for election irregularities
somebody has to take responsibility for what is clearly a very serious
issue. You simply cannot have a good election if the voting list is
seriously inaccurate.
But the Armenian political parties also seem not to have given this
issue enough importance. Scrutinising the election list should happen
on a regular daily basis between one election and another not in the
last days. Also some of the money spent by the international community
on supporting the electoral process should have been directed at this
task. So its not simply blaming the government. Others have to share
the blame too.
Public confidence in the elections, judging from the previous
experiences, is very low, and the racket connected with bribes of the
pre-election campaign today exceeds any limits that have ever been
fixed before. All these do not add confidence to democracy in the
country. Do you agree with this statement and how much is the factor
of public confidence important for Europe and further interaction of
Armenia with the EU?
Of course public confidence is crucial. There is throughout the
South Caucasus widespread cynicism by the public towards elections
because they have seen in front of their eyes on many occasions massive
election fraud. The issue of "election bribes" is more complicated. In
many cases they are illegal so they should not happen. The issue of
political patronage is a problem in many countries, so I do not think
that on its own this will undermine the election process, although
it will weaken it.
Will there be consequent reaction of the European institutions involved
in monitoring?
Organizations making an assessment of the elections will have to take
a holistic approach and look at all the aspects. The key issues are:
Did all the parties have the chance to campaign freely and without
intimidation? Was there a level playing field? Was the Election
administered fairly? Did the people have the chance to vote freely
in a secret ballot without intimidation? Were only people who were
supposed to vote allowed to vote? And finally did the counting process
proceed normally and transparently?
There may be other issues like for example the use of administrative
resources that impact some of these questions, but an overall
assessment will have to take everything into consideration.
How much do you think the stresses in the political programs of the
candidate-parties reflect the issues of the geopolitical prospect in
the region, as well as the tension in the Nagorno Karabakh issue?
I think this was rightly an election mainly on domestic issues related
to the economic and social programmes of the parties. On the whole
Armenian political parties have a similar position on Karabakh, with
some important nuances. I don't think this was the determining factor
in the election.
A special appeal in the elections will be the participation of the
Armenian National Congress. Do you think the program of this force
meets the realities of the Armenian society? What do you think about
the ambitions of the ANC Leader Levon Ter-Petrosyan in the election
campaign given the past lack of his interest in the parliamentary
elections of 2007 and his participation in the presidential elections
of 2008?
The Armenian National Congress is a bloc, involving a number of
parties and public organizations and headed as you say by Levon
Ter-Petrosyan. As a former president Ter-Petrosyan carries some weight
in society, and he has become a symbol of opposition to the current
authorities. The ANC has been very persistent in its anti-government
campaign since 2008. It now needs to translate this work into seats
in parliament. If, as I think likely, the ANC is represented in the
new parliament its strategy will have to change. It cannot continue
to be a party of the streets. How it does this will be one of the
most interesting things to watch out for after the elections.
by Oksana Musaelyan
arminfo
Friday, May 4, 23:29
Ahead of parliamentary elections in Armenia Links published a series
of reviews concerning the political landscape, including covering
opinion polls. Which key characteristics are being marked by this
pre-election campaign?
There have been several positive features in the campaign. First of
all there is a competitive environment. Voters have a choice between
several parties and blocs and each party has had an opportunity to
present its point of view. In this regard the media has played a
positive role.
Do you think there are enough prerequisites to hold free and fair
elections or will it be another profanation?
I think the campaign has been a positive factor. There are problems
regarding the administration of the elections , and the full impact
of this will be seen on election day itself and immediately afterwards.
The most serious problem is connected with the voters list. Given that
this has been a problem with Armenian elections in the past and has
been mentioned before as one main causes for election irregularities
somebody has to take responsibility for what is clearly a very serious
issue. You simply cannot have a good election if the voting list is
seriously inaccurate.
But the Armenian political parties also seem not to have given this
issue enough importance. Scrutinising the election list should happen
on a regular daily basis between one election and another not in the
last days. Also some of the money spent by the international community
on supporting the electoral process should have been directed at this
task. So its not simply blaming the government. Others have to share
the blame too.
Public confidence in the elections, judging from the previous
experiences, is very low, and the racket connected with bribes of the
pre-election campaign today exceeds any limits that have ever been
fixed before. All these do not add confidence to democracy in the
country. Do you agree with this statement and how much is the factor
of public confidence important for Europe and further interaction of
Armenia with the EU?
Of course public confidence is crucial. There is throughout the
South Caucasus widespread cynicism by the public towards elections
because they have seen in front of their eyes on many occasions massive
election fraud. The issue of "election bribes" is more complicated. In
many cases they are illegal so they should not happen. The issue of
political patronage is a problem in many countries, so I do not think
that on its own this will undermine the election process, although
it will weaken it.
Will there be consequent reaction of the European institutions involved
in monitoring?
Organizations making an assessment of the elections will have to take
a holistic approach and look at all the aspects. The key issues are:
Did all the parties have the chance to campaign freely and without
intimidation? Was there a level playing field? Was the Election
administered fairly? Did the people have the chance to vote freely
in a secret ballot without intimidation? Were only people who were
supposed to vote allowed to vote? And finally did the counting process
proceed normally and transparently?
There may be other issues like for example the use of administrative
resources that impact some of these questions, but an overall
assessment will have to take everything into consideration.
How much do you think the stresses in the political programs of the
candidate-parties reflect the issues of the geopolitical prospect in
the region, as well as the tension in the Nagorno Karabakh issue?
I think this was rightly an election mainly on domestic issues related
to the economic and social programmes of the parties. On the whole
Armenian political parties have a similar position on Karabakh, with
some important nuances. I don't think this was the determining factor
in the election.
A special appeal in the elections will be the participation of the
Armenian National Congress. Do you think the program of this force
meets the realities of the Armenian society? What do you think about
the ambitions of the ANC Leader Levon Ter-Petrosyan in the election
campaign given the past lack of his interest in the parliamentary
elections of 2007 and his participation in the presidential elections
of 2008?
The Armenian National Congress is a bloc, involving a number of
parties and public organizations and headed as you say by Levon
Ter-Petrosyan. As a former president Ter-Petrosyan carries some weight
in society, and he has become a symbol of opposition to the current
authorities. The ANC has been very persistent in its anti-government
campaign since 2008. It now needs to translate this work into seats
in parliament. If, as I think likely, the ANC is represented in the
new parliament its strategy will have to change. It cannot continue
to be a party of the streets. How it does this will be one of the
most interesting things to watch out for after the elections.