International observers: Yerevan Council of Elders carried out in “calm and orderly manner”

YEREVAN, MAY 6, ARMENPRESS: A 12 member-delegation of the Council of Europe Congress composed of representatives from nine European countries including three members of the EU Committee of the Regions has observed the elections for the Yerevan Council of Elders on 5 May 2013. At a press conference in Yerevan, the Head of the delegation and Rapporteur, Stewart Dickson (UK, ILDG), presented preliminary conclusions following the observation of this vote by which also the Mayor of Yerevan was elected. As reported by Armenpress, it was the only international organization implementing observing mission during the Yerevan City Council Elections.

Congress Rapporteur Dickson stated that, with the exception of individual incidents in a few polling stations, the elections were carried out in calm and orderly manner and that the vote was technically well prepared, although the counting process, which at times looked chaotic and was slow, needs further improvement. He also stressed that the composition of the Precinct Election Commissions – as stipulated by the Electoral Code, each party and alliance represented in Parliament had one representative and there were two representatives of the Constituency Election Commission – ensured better opportunities for the contesters to scrutinize each other.

He also mentioned cameras present in each polling station and extensive filming which created the impression of overly controlled processes, and the large number of domestic observers whose NGO or media background remained ambiguous to the members of the Congress delegation.

Already prior to Election Day, the delegation became positively aware of a higher level of political competition among parties and alliances but also heard reports by some interlocutors about pressure exerted on public service employees to vote in a certain way and to persuade also other voters and there was the recurring issue of vote-buying. There was also the question of those citizens who no longer live in Yerevan but have stayed on the population register and thus on the voters’ lists. ”I think that these problems have to be urgently addressed by the Armenian authorities – local issues should be decided by citizens actually residing in a certain community and an electoral climate without intimidations or cash incentives is key for the confidence of the voters,” underlined Dickson.

He invited the authorities to seize the opportunity of the up-coming Council of Europe Chairmanship of Armenia to improve voters’ confidence in electoral processes. “The Council of Europe Venice Commission said that the new Electoral Code of Armenia has the potential to ensure the conduct of democratic elections but legislation alone cannot ensure this. It is the exercise of political will by all stakeholders – and I mean government and opposition - which make the difference. There has to be fair play without intimidations and other infringements prior to Election Day and there have to be complaint and appeal procedures for an effective remedy in which citizens can have confidence. Only such an environment can ensure genuinely democratic elections and thus improve the confidence of voters in electoral processes. I am confident that Armenia’s Chairmanship will bring a move forward in this respect”, Dickson concluded.

The international observing group had 12 members. The observers visited 100 polling stations. The final report of the Yerevan City Council Elections will be presented in October in Strasburg.

In accordance with the preliminary results of the May 5 Yerevan Council of Aldermen elections, the Republican Party of Armenia has gained triumph and received 55,86 percent of the votes. Hence, Taron Margaryan, leading the proportional list of the Republican Party of Armenia, has been reelected as the Mayor of Yerevan.

According to the preliminary results of 464 polling stations, the Republican Party of Armenia is leading with 235, 512 votes or 55,86 percent. "Prosperous Armenia" Party occupies the second place with 23,05 percent or 97,189 votes. "Prosperous Armenia" Party is followed by "Hello, Yerevan" bloc, which has received 8,47 percent or 35, 732 votes. "Armenian National Congress" has received 4,39 percent (18, 499 votes). Armenian Revolutionary Federation – Dashnaktsutyun has 15,999 votes or 3,79 percent. "Rule of Law" received 3,73 percent or 15, 733 votes, and "Mission" Party has received 0,64 percent or 2692 votes.

26 local and 1 international organizations carried out observing mission during the Yerevan City Council Elections. The final number of the Yerevan voters is 816 475, about 3000 of which are not citizens of the Republic of Armenia, but have the right to vote (refugees, people having special residency status and those, who have permanent and temporary residence status).The Elections of May 5 were attended by 437 212 voters.