PM urges voters to reject election coercion, vows to defend democracy

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has stressed the importance of protecting democracy in Armenia while commenting on allegations of pressure involving the ruling Civil Contract party against opposition representatives ahead of upcoming local elections.

Pashinyan had earlier called on all candidates and voters participating in local elections who claim to have been subjected to illegal pressure to report directly to him at [email protected].

He had pledged to publicly hold to account any official responsible for such actions if the allegations were substantiated.

“I have received three messages on this matter. One was a public statement by a member of the Strong Armenia faction, in which the MP raised certain concerns, particularly about people allegedly being dismissed from their jobs for political reasons. I have instructed the Inspection Body to conduct an urgent review and provide information. I also received a video showing a child delivering a campaign speech. I forwarded that material to the Anti-Corruption Committee. I also received a message from a citizen who expressed support for our policies while adding that we had nominated a poor candidate for mayor,” Pashinyan said on social media. 

The prime minister stressed that democracy and democratic values are unquestionably a top priority for his administration.

“We are committed to deepening democracy and advancing democratic reforms in Armenia. The challenge is to prevent anti-democratic rule from taking hold in Armenia under the guise of democracy. I am concerned that anyone might claim that an atmosphere of fear has been established in Armenia. At the same time, citizens who feel intimidated for any reason must be persistent in defending their rights. We have defended these citizens’ rights, are defending them, and will continue to do so. If an official exerts pressure on a citizen, and I learn of the incident and it is substantiated by evidence, I will undertake to publicly punish that official. There is a risk that such allegations may not be substantiated, but we cannot dismiss an official based on unverified, unsupported verbal claims without first establishing the facts,” Pashinyan added.

The prime minister also urged voters not to vote for candidates or political forces that use administrative resources, threats, pressure, threats of dismissal, promises of employment, or distribute or promise bribes in exchange for votes in the upcoming local elections.

“If a candidate from the Civil Contract party engages in such conduct, I urge you to vote against that candidate. Separately, report all such cases to me or law enforcement authorities,” Pashinyan said.

Local elections will be held on October 25 in Hrazdan, Artashat, Ijevan, Gavar, Martuni, Goris, and several other communities in Armenia.