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EU ON VOTE 2012: BETTER, BUT NOT GOOD ENOUGH
http://www.armenianow.com/vote_2012/37973/armenia_parliamentary_elections_eu
Vote 2012 | 10.05.12 | 11:45
The EU has welcomed efforts by the Armenian authorities to hold the
recent parliamentary elections"in a way which represents progress
towards more transparent and competitive elections", while saying a
number of issues remained to be addressed.
In a joint statement Wednesday, EU High Representative for Foreign
Affairs Catherine Ashton,and tefan Fule, Commissioner for Enlargement
and European Neighbourhood Policy, said: "The European Union takes
note of the preliminary results of the parliamentary elections held
on 6 May and welcomes the statement of preliminary findings and
conclusions of the International Election Observation Mission on the
conduct of elections."
They added: "We welcome the efforts by the Armenian authorities
to hold these parliamentary elections in a way which represents
progress towards more transparent and competitive elections. However,
the elections also demonstrated the need to address a number of
issues in order to fully meet internationally recognized democratic
standards."They urged the Armenian authorities to address the
shortcomings identified by the OSCE/ODIHR as a matter of priority,
ahead of the upcoming presidential elections scheduled for 2013.
"At the same time," the joint statement added, "we welcome that six
political parties will be represented in the National Assembly. This
is a positive step towards the development of a pluralistic and
democratic political culture in Armenia."
"The EU urges all political forces to refrain from unlawful acts
and pursue political dialogue. The constructive dialogue between
authorities and the opposition is very important for the consolidation
of stability in the country," Ashton and Fule concluded.
http://www.armenianow.com/vote_2012/37973/armenia_parliamentary_elections_eu
Vote 2012 | 10.05.12 | 11:45
The EU has welcomed efforts by the Armenian authorities to hold the
recent parliamentary elections"in a way which represents progress
towards more transparent and competitive elections", while saying a
number of issues remained to be addressed.
In a joint statement Wednesday, EU High Representative for Foreign
Affairs Catherine Ashton,and tefan Fule, Commissioner for Enlargement
and European Neighbourhood Policy, said: "The European Union takes
note of the preliminary results of the parliamentary elections held
on 6 May and welcomes the statement of preliminary findings and
conclusions of the International Election Observation Mission on the
conduct of elections."
They added: "We welcome the efforts by the Armenian authorities
to hold these parliamentary elections in a way which represents
progress towards more transparent and competitive elections. However,
the elections also demonstrated the need to address a number of
issues in order to fully meet internationally recognized democratic
standards."They urged the Armenian authorities to address the
shortcomings identified by the OSCE/ODIHR as a matter of priority,
ahead of the upcoming presidential elections scheduled for 2013.
"At the same time," the joint statement added, "we welcome that six
political parties will be represented in the National Assembly. This
is a positive step towards the development of a pluralistic and
democratic political culture in Armenia."
"The EU urges all political forces to refrain from unlawful acts
and pursue political dialogue. The constructive dialogue between
authorities and the opposition is very important for the consolidation
of stability in the country," Ashton and Fule concluded.