On April 12 the Pre-Electoral Observation Mission Delegation of the Bureau of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, which arrived in Armenia on two-day working visit, met with the parliamentary factions in the National Assembly.

During the meeting with the Rule of Law faction the Head of the Delegation Baroness Emma Nicholson was interested in the pre-electoral processes going on in Armenia.

Highlighting the safe and secure organization of the elections the Head of the Rule of Law faction Heghine Bisharyan has said that the electoral lists are already stuck in the electoral polls, and all the political forces, among them the Rule of Law Party, actively check in removing the existing shortcomings.

Emphasizing the amendments made in the Electoral Code Mrs Bisharyan has noted that it gives bigger opportunity to hold fair and transparent. According to the Head of the faction, maybe there are little gaps in the Electoral Code, however they cannot have essential influence on the quality of the elections.

The Head of the Rule of Law faction noted that as a candidate nominated through majoritarian system, she would be consistent in holding transparent elections.

At the request of the Head of the Delegation Ms Bisharyan has touched upon the activity of the Monitoring Group created adjunct to the NA Speaker, noting that the Group is ready to discuss all the problems connected with the electoral processes, respond the revelations, which will not stem from the legislation.

The Head of the faction highlighted the role of the international observation missions in holding transparent elections.

Head of the NA Heritage faction Styopa Safaryan and member of the faction Armen Martirosyan, members of the Free Democrats party Anush Sedrakyan and Armen Arakelyan, taking part in the upcoming parliamentary elections with the Heritage party met with the Delegation of the Pre-Electoral Observation Mission of the Bureau of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.

Thanking for the meeting, the Head of the PACE Delegation Baroness Emma Nicholson has said that on May 3-4 the members of the PACE Observation Mission comprised of 30 people will arrive in Armenia.

At the Baroness’ request the representatives of the Heritage and Free Democrats parties submitted the issues concerning the electoral processes.

In particular, according to Styopa Safaryan, the parties functioning in the opposition field are in an unequal competitive field, as the administrative resources are in the hand of power. In his opinion, in the name of charity, especially in the rural communities different presents are delivered. The member of the Free Democrats party Anush Sedrakyan has noted that so called veiled election bribes are carried out, when definitely the expensive goods are sold in comparatively low price.

According to the representatives of the Heritage faction, in the pre-electoral period, as well as on the Election Day violent actions take place and electoral lists are exaggerated.

Touching upon the elections to be held through majoritarian electoral system, Styopa Safaryan has noticed that in this field the opposition candidates also come across difficulties, for example, the issue of renting an area for the pre-electoral headquarters. According to him, the owners of the area refuse to hand them to the opposition candidates.

The Head of the PACE Delegation has opined that similar problems exist in the whole world, so in that respect Armenia is not an exception.

Baroness Emma Nicholson asked the representatives of the Heritage and Free Democrats parties to provide her in written form the presented concerns and questions in order the members of the OSCE Observation Mission arriving in Armenia would more distinctly see all the problems.

The Delegation of the PACE Pre-Electoral Observation Mission also met the deputies of the ARF faction .

Head of the faction Vahan Hovhannisyan thanked the members of the Delegation, who expressed willingness to follow the parliamentary elections, expressing hope that their observation mission will succeed and be effective.

Vahan Hovhannisyan, deputies of the faction Lilit Galstyan and Artsvik Minasyan presented their concerns on the pre-electoral phase and the very elections. Conditioned by some circumstances the deputies treat with reservation the possibility of holding free and fair elections. In Lilit Galstyan’s opinion, the social-economic situation and the high index of poverty make the citizen vulnerable in freely electing and expressing, make possible the pressures. The deputy deemed one of the reasons also the absence of the political culture, when election is carried out not stemming from the ideology, but being led by different standards. The ARF deputies expressed fear on possible of the administrative resources, unequal conditions, collection of passports, according to the news reached to them.

The interlocutors also touched upon other problems relating to the elections, talked about the necessity of shaping a united headquarters and efficiency of controlling the elections by combining the efforts. Vahan Hovhannisyan noticed that the public movement “Voting is a Force” initiated by them is open for everybody and can become a good platform of cooperation. Nevertheless, the ARF also cooperates with other political forces in two structures: in the Monitoring Group adjunct to the NA Speaker and in a united headquarters of the Prosperous Armenia Party.

The members of the faction highlighted the long-term and multi-member presence of the observers in the election phase for holding election in compliance with democratic standards.

Naira Zohrabyan and Vahe Enfiajyan from the NA Prosperous Armenia faction met with the Delegation of the PACE Bureau Pre-Electoral Observation Mission.

Naira Zohrabyan, member of the PAP political board and the Chair of the NA Standing Committee on European Integration presented the work of their party at the preparatory phase of the campaign and during the campaign. He has noted that the PAP takes part in the works of the format shaped with the parliamentary and extra-parliamentary opposition controlling the free and fair procedure of the elections, the Monitoring Group created adjunct to the NA Speaker and the MP Davit Harutyunyan’s initiative.

The sides touched upon the different political forces and the problem of the electoral lists concerning the PAP, the publications in the press in that connection, more than a dozen of registrations in one address, the publications on double passports. Ms Zohrabyan has said that the electoral lists are specified in the PAP territorial structures from the day of publication, about which the international observers will present comprehensive information after summing up the work.

On the same day the Delegation of the PACE Bureau Pre-Electoral Observation Mission met with the Head of the NA RPA faction Galust Sahakyan, Secretary Gagik Melikyan, members Davit Harutyunyan, Eduard Sharmazanov and Artak Zakaryan.

Touching upon the pre-electoral processes, the Head of the NA RPA faction Galust Sahakyan has said that the political situation in the cou7ntry is stable, the activeness of the society gradually becomes tangible in the upcoming elections. The Head of the faction has ensured that all the political forces are inclined to hold good elections. He has ensured that the RPA, as a powerful political force, does its utmost for our people and their future, rise of the international prestige of the country in holding free and fair elections.

Highlighting the amendments made in the Electoral Code Galust Sahakyan has noted that it gives not only the state structures opportunity towards the control of the due holding of elections, but also all the political forces. The Head of the faction deems as an advantage the giving an opportunity of monitoring inclusive mechanisms towards the proxies by new Electoral Code. He highlighted the role and approaches of the international observation missions in electoral processes.

Mr Sahakyan has touched upon the works of the Monitoring Group created adjunct to the NA Speaker, where parties taking part in the elections, representatives of the NGOs and international organizations are included.

Baroness Emma Nicholson was interested in the accurateness of the electoral lists. Davit Harutyunyan, Chairman of the NA Standing Committee on State and Legal Affairs and Head of the RA NA Delegation to PACE, underlined that the lists were open and accessible for the public. He also touched upon the amendments of the Electoral Code, which made the electoral processes more transparent and  gave opportunity to hold free and fair elections.