Prosecutor General orders special task force to deal with possible electoral violations in snap polls
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 16, ARMENPRESS. Armenia’s Prosecutor General has ordered a task force to be set up in order to increase the efficiency of prosecutor supervision for all media reports, individual reports or calls regarding possible electoral fraud or other violations that might occur during the upcoming December 9 early general election.
Prosecutor General Arthur Davtyan’s deputy Hayk Aslanyan has been appointed to lead the task force.
The group will study all violation-related reports, if any, will support departments and prosecutors in supervising the possible subsequent criminal proceedings and preparations of materials.
Its functions also include ensuring public accessibility of all works with duly and operative coverage.
The task group will cooperate with the Central Electoral Commission, monitoring and other stakeholder organizations, law enforcement agencies and news media covering the election.
Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan resigned on October 16 to trigger the process of disbanding the parliament.
Pashinyan took office after massive protests in April forced president-turned PM Serzh Sargsyan to resign. But Sargsyan’s Republican Party (HHK) still has most seats in the 105-seat parliament. Since taking office, Nikol Pashinyan has numerously said that the incumbent parliament doesn’t represent the people and that early elections should take place as soon as possible.
In accordance to the Constitution, when a Prime Minister resigns the parliament must elect a new PM within two weeks. Lawmakers deliberately failed to elect a new PM as a formality in order to pave the way for dissolution.
The last round took place on November 1 and the parliament was dissolved by virtue of law.
Later on the same day, President Armen Sarkissian signed an order on dissolving the parliament and calling early elections on December 9.
The parliament will function until the new parliament is elected.
The government is formally a caretaker government until a new government is formed after the election.
Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan