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Agence France Presse
May 7, 2012 Monday 10:57 AM GMT
Democratic failings undermined Armenia vote: OSCE
YEREVAN, May 7 2012
A series of democratic failings undermined parliamentary elections in
Armenia that were otherwise largely competitive, European observers
from the OSCE said Monday.
"Armenia deserves recognition for its electoral reforms and its open
and peaceful campaign environment but, in this race, several
stakeholders too often failed to comply with the law and election
commissions too often failed to enforce it," the OSCE observer mission
to Armenia said in a statement.
"As a result, the international commitments to which Armenia has
freely subscribed were not always respected," the statement said.
The Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe also said that
the freedom of assembly and expression were generally respected during
the campaign but the lack of public confidence in the electoral
process was "an issue of great concern".
It also said that pressure on voters and an inadequate complaints
process created an "unequal playing field".
The polls in the ex-Soviet state on Sunday were won by President Serzh
Sarkisian's governing Republican party, which took 44.05 percent of
the vote, according to final preliminary results from the Central
Election Commission.
May 7, 2012 Monday 10:57 AM GMT
Democratic failings undermined Armenia vote: OSCE
YEREVAN, May 7 2012
A series of democratic failings undermined parliamentary elections in
Armenia that were otherwise largely competitive, European observers
from the OSCE said Monday.
"Armenia deserves recognition for its electoral reforms and its open
and peaceful campaign environment but, in this race, several
stakeholders too often failed to comply with the law and election
commissions too often failed to enforce it," the OSCE observer mission
to Armenia said in a statement.
"As a result, the international commitments to which Armenia has
freely subscribed were not always respected," the statement said.
The Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe also said that
the freedom of assembly and expression were generally respected during
the campaign but the lack of public confidence in the electoral
process was "an issue of great concern".
It also said that pressure on voters and an inadequate complaints
process created an "unequal playing field".
The polls in the ex-Soviet state on Sunday were won by President Serzh
Sarkisian's governing Republican party, which took 44.05 percent of
the vote, according to final preliminary results from the Central
Election Commission.