YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 16, ARMENPRESS: The election campaign is close to its end. February 17 is a silence day. Advancing February 18 – the Election Day, "Armenpress" had a conversation with the Chairman of the Central Election Commission of the Republic of Armenia Tigran Mukuchyan about the CEC activities and preparedness to hold elections.

-Mr. Mukuchyan, by the end of the election campaign I’d ask you to sum up to what extent CEC is ready for the polls and what activities have been realized.

- The election campaign ends today. We have received only four applications during the election campaign, at the same time we’ve followed the entire information published in media. We have checked it all and in case of confirmation corresponding measures were taken immediately. As a result of this all, also taking into consideration the study of the data of the declarations introduced for the election campaign, as well as the reports on periodical monitoring of the National Commission on TV and Radio of Armenia we might state one thing: during this entire process requirements of the Electoral Code have been preserved, candidates have had equal opportunities. How much they have used them is a different issue, but everybody had an opportunity to introduce their views, program theses, notwithstanding, everybody managed to take their word to the voters.

- At the threshold of a most significant event – presidential elections – I would ask you to reaffirm the CEC determination to hold fair and transparent elections. 

- That's out of the question. All the processes realized thus far prove it. Particularly, in the result of new technological solutions the population had a chance to follow the CEC sessions online. Besides, a new service has been introduced in the CEC "Voters Register" section, which makes it possible to see the number of other voters registered in a given address in a simplified manner.  These actions were surely meant to ensure uttermost transparency in the election processes. We should also mention the public experiment with the ink, etc. This was actually the first time that the CEC announced about the open doors: it was not just a planned meeting with a certain group of civilians, but the result of public announcement.  

- Are the voting stations adapted to the needs of people with disabilities?

-The matter is very comprehensive. Valuing the significance of creating equal opportunities for voters with disabilities, CEC has taken certain measures this time, too.  This time, too, we had braille system guides, which provide clarifications of the voting procedure. This time we have also publicized candidates’ biographical data. The NGO sector had voiced about such an initiative expressing the view that they were able to follow the campaign, but as the candidates often do not publish their biographical data they asked us to help them. During the previous elections CEC had obtained special lenses to help people with poor eyesight. They were available in a few polling stations, i.e. their number was not much. This time we obtained much more lenses. All the polling stations are provided with them. 

- I would ask you to note what a civilian should be conscious of while going to the elections.  How should they assess the value of their vote?

- The most significant problem is as follows: utmost has been done, the maximal conditions are ensured to realize full public regulation.  Commissions are going to fulfill their legal duties, which means that the voters have the vast opportunity to openly follow the entire election process. All of this has probably one aim – to raise voters' trust regarding their votes, that their vote is counted by the electoral commission as it is given. (THE FULL VERSION OF THE INTERVIEW IS AVAILABLE IN ARMENIAN)

Interview by Haykanush Torosyan