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SARGSYAN SET FOR VICTORY AS ARMENIAN PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS KICK OFF
Business News Europe
Feb 18 2013
Polling stations opened for Armenia's presidential elections on
February 18, with voters expected to re-elect incumbent President
Serzh Sargsyan with a wide margin.
A poll carried out by Gallup International on February 2-5 found that
68% of respondents would vote for Sargsyan. Heritage Party chairman
Raffi Hovannisian was in second place with 24% of the vote, followed
by Hayrikyan in third place.
A second term for Sargsyan has been expected from the start of the
campaigning on January 21, and the resulting lacklustre competition
has been notable only for an assassination attempt on candidate
Paruyr Hayrikyan. Another of the runners, Andrias Gukasian, spent
the campaign on hunger strike in support of his accusations against
Sarkisian of widespread vote-buying.
Claims of election fraud against the president are nothing new. The
start of Sargsyan's first term in February 2008 was marred by mass
protest as opposition leaders claimed that the vote was rigged.
Violent clashes between demonstrators and police resulted in 10 deaths,
and a month-long state of emergency followed.
Sargsyan also came under pressure when the international economic
crisis hit Armenia in 2009. Heavily dependent on metals exports and
remittance payments, the economy contracted by almost 15% during the
year. However, since it has remained in recovery mode, despite the
double dip globally, with GDP growing by 3.9% in 2012, according to
the International Monetary Fund. It forecast a slight increase to 4%
in 2013.
Sargsyan has also built bridges with political opponents during his
time in office, starting a dialogue between the ruling Republican
Party of Armenia (HHK) and the opposition Armenian National Congress
(ANC) coalition, led by his former opponent in the 2008 elections,
Levon Ter-Petrossian. Alongside Gagik Tsarukian, who leads former
HHK coalition partner Prosperous Armenia, Ter-Petrossian declined to
stand in the latest election.
HHK increased its majority in the May 2012 parliamentary elections,
allowing it to form a majority without Prosperous Armenia. Presuming
his return to the presidential office, Sargsyan will now have a strong
mandate to make changes in his second term.
Foreign policy initiatives are likely to be front and centre, according
to Richard Giragosian, director of the Yerevan-based Regional Studies
Center. "We should expect a bold move in terms of foreign policy
similar to the protocols between Armenia and Turkey after the February
2008 election. Sargsyan will feel emboldened by his new mandate to
actually carry forth domestic reforms and perhaps again try making
a move toward Turkey or Azerbaijan," Giragosian told bne in January.
While a repeat of the protests and violence following the 2008
elections are not expected - Sargsyan has promised the most fair and
open elections in Armenia to date - observers suggest concern persists,
albeit over more subtle leveraging of voters this time around.
A report from the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in
Europe/Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (OSCE/ODIHR)
observers issued on February 7, notes: "While the state authorities
have declared their intention to conduct elections in line with OSCE
commitments, the distinction between campaign activities and state
functions appears to be blurred..."
"The official campaign period, which started on 21 January and ends
at midnight on 16 February, has thus far been characterized by low-key
activities. The campaign of incumbent President Serzh Sargsyan is the
most visible. The overall campaign environment is partly influenced
by the decision of several parliamentary parties to not nominate
candidates," the report adds.
http://www.bne.eu/story4568/Sargsyan_set_for_victory_as_Armenian_presidential_ elections_kick_off
Business News Europe
Feb 18 2013
Polling stations opened for Armenia's presidential elections on
February 18, with voters expected to re-elect incumbent President
Serzh Sargsyan with a wide margin.
A poll carried out by Gallup International on February 2-5 found that
68% of respondents would vote for Sargsyan. Heritage Party chairman
Raffi Hovannisian was in second place with 24% of the vote, followed
by Hayrikyan in third place.
A second term for Sargsyan has been expected from the start of the
campaigning on January 21, and the resulting lacklustre competition
has been notable only for an assassination attempt on candidate
Paruyr Hayrikyan. Another of the runners, Andrias Gukasian, spent
the campaign on hunger strike in support of his accusations against
Sarkisian of widespread vote-buying.
Claims of election fraud against the president are nothing new. The
start of Sargsyan's first term in February 2008 was marred by mass
protest as opposition leaders claimed that the vote was rigged.
Violent clashes between demonstrators and police resulted in 10 deaths,
and a month-long state of emergency followed.
Sargsyan also came under pressure when the international economic
crisis hit Armenia in 2009. Heavily dependent on metals exports and
remittance payments, the economy contracted by almost 15% during the
year. However, since it has remained in recovery mode, despite the
double dip globally, with GDP growing by 3.9% in 2012, according to
the International Monetary Fund. It forecast a slight increase to 4%
in 2013.
Sargsyan has also built bridges with political opponents during his
time in office, starting a dialogue between the ruling Republican
Party of Armenia (HHK) and the opposition Armenian National Congress
(ANC) coalition, led by his former opponent in the 2008 elections,
Levon Ter-Petrossian. Alongside Gagik Tsarukian, who leads former
HHK coalition partner Prosperous Armenia, Ter-Petrossian declined to
stand in the latest election.
HHK increased its majority in the May 2012 parliamentary elections,
allowing it to form a majority without Prosperous Armenia. Presuming
his return to the presidential office, Sargsyan will now have a strong
mandate to make changes in his second term.
Foreign policy initiatives are likely to be front and centre, according
to Richard Giragosian, director of the Yerevan-based Regional Studies
Center. "We should expect a bold move in terms of foreign policy
similar to the protocols between Armenia and Turkey after the February
2008 election. Sargsyan will feel emboldened by his new mandate to
actually carry forth domestic reforms and perhaps again try making
a move toward Turkey or Azerbaijan," Giragosian told bne in January.
While a repeat of the protests and violence following the 2008
elections are not expected - Sargsyan has promised the most fair and
open elections in Armenia to date - observers suggest concern persists,
albeit over more subtle leveraging of voters this time around.
A report from the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in
Europe/Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (OSCE/ODIHR)
observers issued on February 7, notes: "While the state authorities
have declared their intention to conduct elections in line with OSCE
commitments, the distinction between campaign activities and state
functions appears to be blurred..."
"The official campaign period, which started on 21 January and ends
at midnight on 16 February, has thus far been characterized by low-key
activities. The campaign of incumbent President Serzh Sargsyan is the
most visible. The overall campaign environment is partly influenced
by the decision of several parliamentary parties to not nominate
candidates," the report adds.
http://www.bne.eu/story4568/Sargsyan_set_for_victory_as_Armenian_presidential_ elections_kick_off