Hovhannes Sahakyan: the goal of amendments in Electoral Code directed toward fostering trust of people toward elections

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 20, ARMENPRESS: The improvement of the Electoral Code in developing countries is a necessary process. The goal is to foster the trust of people toward elections, member of the Armenian Republican Party’s faction Hovhannes Sahakyan said today at a news conference. According to him, the consolidation of trust, though, is not only the affair of the authorities it depends on the manifestation of attitude of each individual.

Mr Sahakyan said that during the recent two elections a number of international observing organizations presented proposals some of which have been involved in the bill on changes at the Electoral Code.

Among the important changes, Mr Sahakyan pointed out the provision directed toward the ensuring secrecy of a voter. “The stamp put in the passports will disappear in two-three days and it will be impossible to clarify whether a person participated in the elections or not,” he said.

According to international experts, in the pre-electoral fight in Armenia the mass media does not work objectively. “Coverage of any activity of political force during the period of propaganda will be perceived as a campaign,” Hovhannes Sahakyan said.

The speaker said that this variant of the amendments as a working one has been sent to the Venice Commission.