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Armenian President Vahagn Khachaturyan spoke about the upcoming general election scheduled for June 7, calling on all participating political forces to adhere to the rule of law and maintain respectful debates.
“I am not very active in domestic political matters, given my position as President of the Republic of Armenia, which requires me to maintain a neutral stance. My primary duty is to uphold the Constitution, and that is the principle I follow. However, I cannot completely refrain from offering my assessments, because ultimately we are talking about the implementation of the Constitution—I mean the right to vote and be elected. Above all, I pay attention to this aspect.
As you know, I set the date for the elections. We carried out this process earlier than we could have. When I consulted with the Chair of the Central Electoral Commission, he suggested that we conduct the process sooner so that we are fully prepared for the elections and participants do not face any difficulties. This process has already begun, and everyone must be informed of the rules, which must be strictly observed by all.
Everyone should be able to accept and understand an important principle that applies to all of us in daily life, but in this case, it concerns respecting the law during elections. Anyone who violates the law will be punished. This principle must apply to everyone,” the President of Armenia said at a press briefing.
Vahagn Khachaturyan also emphasized the importance of fully adhering to democratic norms. According to him, one of the advantages of democracy is that in countries that adopt democratic principles, people learn to follow the law. The law is paramount for them.
“As many political forces will participate in the upcoming elections in Armenia, there will be many opinions, and we will get acquainted with them. Conversations and discussions should happen, but they must remain within the bounds of decency. Acceptable language and respectful treatment of each other and, above all, of society must be maintained. Using inappropriate language is unacceptable,” the President said.
He expressed his desire for the political forces participating in the upcoming elections in Armenia to reach an understanding so that debates and discussions take place in a proper atmosphere—without inappropriate language—so that people can listen, follow, and engage with these debates and discussions.