2013 presidential election of Armenia was well-administered and characterized by a respect for fundamental freedoms. PACE report
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YEREVAN, APRIL 22, ARMENPRESS: Council of Europe has issued its report regarding Presidential Elections of Armenia held on February 18, 2013.
As reports Armenpress, it is noted in report that the 18 February 2013 presidential election was generally well-administered and was characterized by a respect for fundamental freedoms. This election constituted an improvement over the previous presidential election in 2008.
IOM observers, including those from the ad hoc committee, assessed the voting positively in 95% of the polling stations visited. At the same time, a number of shortcomings, some of them structural, were observed. “We urge the authorities to address these shortcomings in order to ensure that they do not resurface in future elections, be it at national, local or regional level,” it is noted in the report.
The ad hoc committee highlighted that voters saw their possible choices narrowed by the decision of major political parties not to present candidates. “In order to help ensure public trust in the electoral process we expect the authorities to investigate all allegations of electoral fraud and misconduct and punish any perpetrators in line with the law,” in mentioned in CoE report.
The ad hoc committee welcomed the progress made and called upon the authorities, in close co-operation with the Venice Commission and the Assembly’s ongoing monitoring procedure, to address the shortcomings noted and recommendations made in this report as well as those by the other members of the IEOM.