SADOYAN ASPIRES FOR US ASSISTANCE IN ELECTION CONTROL

Panorama.am
14:49 23/08/06

Arshak Sadoyan, leader of National Democratic Alliance (NDA), thinks
that the authorities are going to fake the parliamentary elections
once again. Sadoyan is very concerned since he believes that in case
Armenia does not take the path of democracy, world powers will oust
the country from the important processes, which has been already done
on the regional level. "Recent announcements have made it clear that
there will be no forgiveness this time," Sadoyan said.

Connecting hopes with $6.5 mln grant promised by the Secretary of
State Condoleezza Rice, Sadoyan has developed a complex program to
control elections. He even says that his plans may be implemented
on $2.5 mln only. The rough budget of the project runs as follows:
electronic control equipment – $ 200,000 -250,000, training of
personnel (20,000-25,000 trainees) – $500,000-600,000, free radio and
TV air and an independent newspaper – $ 700,000, advocacy -$700,000.

Sadoyan says several donors have approved the program, among them
U.S. Ambassador John Evans, OSCE, U.N., USAID. Sadoyan says they are
going to complain to the international community and leading media
outlets if the program is turned down.

Sadoyan already claims that the opposition representatives are not
included in the election committees whereas community heads take
schools and kindergarten principles to trainings on their personal
cars resulting in 100% pro-authority committees.