EU URGES ARMENIA TO REFORM ELECTORAL LAWS AFTER PRESIDENT RE-ELECTED
RTT News
Feb 20 2013
The European Union has called upon the Armenian authorities to
undertake an inclusive and transparent process of amendments to
the election-related legislation, in line with the OSCE/ODIHR's
recommendations following the parliamentary elections of May 2012.
The call was made in a joint statement issued on Wednesday by EU
High Representative Catherine Ashton and EU Enlargement & European
Neighborhood Policy Commissioner Stefan Fule in the wake of the
preliminary results of the Armenian presidential elections.
Observers from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe
(OSCE) who monitored the polls blamed government partiality in favor
of the ruling party. At the same time, the mission concluded that
the election was generally well-administered and was characterized
by a respect for fundamental freedoms.
Ashton and Fule welcomed the conclusions of the Election Observation
Mission, as well as "further progress made by the Armenian authorities
in their efforts to hold the presidential elections in line with
international standards, notably through improved administration
of the electoral process, ensuring possibilities for candidates to
campaign freely and better quality of the voter lists."
At the same time, the EU officials said they expected "a number of
outstanding concerns to be followed up appropriately in the future,
including reported instances of partiality by public servants, claims
of misuse of administrative resources, unclear interpretation of
campaign financing provisions and cases of pressure on voters."
President Serge Sarkisian was re-elected as he won more than half
of the votes polled in Monday's elections. His closest rival Raffi
Hovannisian had earlier alleged several electoral malpractices.
by RTT Staff Writer
http://www.rttnews.com/2060537/eu-urges-armenia-to-reform-electoral-laws-after-president-re-elected.aspx?type=pn
RTT News
Feb 20 2013
The European Union has called upon the Armenian authorities to
undertake an inclusive and transparent process of amendments to
the election-related legislation, in line with the OSCE/ODIHR's
recommendations following the parliamentary elections of May 2012.
The call was made in a joint statement issued on Wednesday by EU
High Representative Catherine Ashton and EU Enlargement & European
Neighborhood Policy Commissioner Stefan Fule in the wake of the
preliminary results of the Armenian presidential elections.
Observers from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe
(OSCE) who monitored the polls blamed government partiality in favor
of the ruling party. At the same time, the mission concluded that
the election was generally well-administered and was characterized
by a respect for fundamental freedoms.
Ashton and Fule welcomed the conclusions of the Election Observation
Mission, as well as "further progress made by the Armenian authorities
in their efforts to hold the presidential elections in line with
international standards, notably through improved administration
of the electoral process, ensuring possibilities for candidates to
campaign freely and better quality of the voter lists."
At the same time, the EU officials said they expected "a number of
outstanding concerns to be followed up appropriately in the future,
including reported instances of partiality by public servants, claims
of misuse of administrative resources, unclear interpretation of
campaign financing provisions and cases of pressure on voters."
President Serge Sarkisian was re-elected as he won more than half
of the votes polled in Monday's elections. His closest rival Raffi
Hovannisian had earlier alleged several electoral malpractices.
by RTT Staff Writer
http://www.rttnews.com/2060537/eu-urges-armenia-to-reform-electoral-laws-after-president-re-elected.aspx?type=pn