"THERE IS STILL HOPE"

A1+
[08:28 pm] 27 September, 2006

"Justice" bloc did not participate in the discussion of the Electoral
Code together with the Venice Commission and the experts from
OSCE/ODIHR, whereas "National Unity" and "Orinats Yerkir" did.

Leader of the National Democratic Party Shavarsh Kocharyan participated
in hte discussion not as representative of "Justice" bloc but as the
author of the alternative variant. The processed version of the draft
was introduced into circulation in the NA on September 20.

Let us remind you that the mentioned draft Electoral Code was not sent
to the Venice Commission, hence it can’t be discussed. Nevertheless,
according to Kocharyan, even today it can be considered an alternative
variant, taking into account the fact that the draft gives the
solution of those problems upon which the experts and the authors of
the present draft cannot agree.

"We are realistic enough to understand that the chances of the draft
are close to nothing, but it doesn’t mean that the situation is
completely hopeless", said Shavarsh Kocharyan. He voiced hope that
their offers will be taken into account while adopting the offered
amendments.

Shavarsh Kocharyan said that no matter how nice their draft might be,
the experts of the Venice Commission cannot defend it. And if all the
representative of the opposition had signed it, the situation would
be completely different. According to Kocharyan, the draft has been
sent to all the factions by NGO "Democracy"; it has been discussed
by the opposition, but no agreement has been concluded. "I have an
impression that the whole oppositional field is in a swamp. And as
soon as someone wants to get out of it, the others pull him back",
the deputy said.