ArmenPress
April 21 2004

FORMER PRIME MINISTER SETS UP NGO TO PROPAGATE FAIR ELECTIONS

YEREVAN, APRIL 21, ARMENPRESS: A former Armenian prime minister,
Armen Darbinian, told a constituent meeting of a new non-governmental
organization, Dignified Future, that it will work to promote
establishment of an electoral system that would meet international
standards.
Addressing the delegates of the meeting, the former prime
minister, who is now rector of Russian-Armenian (Slavonic)
University, said the non-governmental organization was not an
initiative of a same-name political party of which he is chairman.
The goal of the movement, he said, is to start the process of
national reconciliation. He said the new organization is open to all
individuals, politicians and forces concerned with the level of
national election institutions.
The organization intends to launch a large-scale explanatory work
among people to raise their awareness about electoral process and
their key importance for democracy consolidation.
IA statement, issued today, the new organization said its creation
was prompted by “unhealthy climate brought in by virtually all
national elections, marred by vote rigging and other fraud, held in
Armenia in the last ten years.”