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BBC: Armenia President Sarkisian expected to win re-election
The economy has been the major issue in the build-up to the election
Armenians are voting in a presidential election, with the incumbent
Serge Sarkisian expected to win a second five-year term in office.
The vote has been condemned as not presenting voters with any real
choice, with observers saying Mr Sarkisian's only credible opponents
have withdrawn.
Polls suggest he will win more than 60% of the vote. The Heritage
Party leader, Raffi Hovannisian, is his main rival.
Another candidate was shot last month in a suspected assassination attempt.
Paruyr Hayrikyan of the National Self-Determination Union was wounded
in the shoulder outside his home near Yerevan. He was readmitted to
hospital earlier this week after saying he did not feel well.
A fourth candidate, Andrias Ghukasyan, has meanwhile been on hunger
strike since the start of the campaign in an effort to persuade the
authorities to annul Mr Sarkisian's candidacy and press international
observers to boycott the election.
And a fifth, Arman Melikyan, has said he will not vote on Monday
because he believes the poll will be rigged in favour of the
president.
Andrias Ghukasyan has been on a hunger strike since 21 January in a
bid to derail the election
Last month, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe
expressed great concern that "major political parties, which were
strongly expected to present presidential candidates, chose not to do
so because of their lack of trust in the conduct of the election".
Mr Sarkisian's victory in the last election in 2008 sparked deadly
clashes between police and opposition supporters, who alleged
widespread fraud. The Organisation for Security and Co-operation in
Europe (OSCE) said the vote had mostly met international standards.
The president's supporters say Monday's vote will be free of violence
and allegations of fraud, and that they will show the former Soviet
republic is now politically stable. Last May's parliamentary
elections, won by Mr Sarkisian's Republican Party, took place without
any major incidents.
The economy has been the major issue in the build-up to the election.
Although the economy grew about 7% in 2012, unemployment stands at 16%
and more than 30% of the population live below the poverty line.
Trade has been affected by a blockade imposed by Turkey and Azerbaijan
since the 1990s war with Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh.
Are you in Armenia? Will you be voting in the presidential election?
Please get in touch using the form below.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-21495377
From: Baghdasarian
The economy has been the major issue in the build-up to the election
Armenians are voting in a presidential election, with the incumbent
Serge Sarkisian expected to win a second five-year term in office.
The vote has been condemned as not presenting voters with any real
choice, with observers saying Mr Sarkisian's only credible opponents
have withdrawn.
Polls suggest he will win more than 60% of the vote. The Heritage
Party leader, Raffi Hovannisian, is his main rival.
Another candidate was shot last month in a suspected assassination attempt.
Paruyr Hayrikyan of the National Self-Determination Union was wounded
in the shoulder outside his home near Yerevan. He was readmitted to
hospital earlier this week after saying he did not feel well.
A fourth candidate, Andrias Ghukasyan, has meanwhile been on hunger
strike since the start of the campaign in an effort to persuade the
authorities to annul Mr Sarkisian's candidacy and press international
observers to boycott the election.
And a fifth, Arman Melikyan, has said he will not vote on Monday
because he believes the poll will be rigged in favour of the
president.
Andrias Ghukasyan has been on a hunger strike since 21 January in a
bid to derail the election
Last month, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe
expressed great concern that "major political parties, which were
strongly expected to present presidential candidates, chose not to do
so because of their lack of trust in the conduct of the election".
Mr Sarkisian's victory in the last election in 2008 sparked deadly
clashes between police and opposition supporters, who alleged
widespread fraud. The Organisation for Security and Co-operation in
Europe (OSCE) said the vote had mostly met international standards.
The president's supporters say Monday's vote will be free of violence
and allegations of fraud, and that they will show the former Soviet
republic is now politically stable. Last May's parliamentary
elections, won by Mr Sarkisian's Republican Party, took place without
any major incidents.
The economy has been the major issue in the build-up to the election.
Although the economy grew about 7% in 2012, unemployment stands at 16%
and more than 30% of the population live below the poverty line.
Trade has been affected by a blockade imposed by Turkey and Azerbaijan
since the 1990s war with Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh.
Are you in Armenia? Will you be voting in the presidential election?
Please get in touch using the form below.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-21495377
From: Baghdasarian