SHAVARSH KOCHARIAN: IMPROVING ELECTORAL CODE IS NECESSARY, BUT NOT SUFFICIENT CONDITION FOR HOLDING FREE AND FAIR ELECTIONS

Noyan Tapan
Oct 31 2006

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 31, NOYAN TAPAN. The promises of the authorities
about holding free and fair elections and the process of the Electoral
Code’s amending contradict to each other. RA MP Shavarsh Kocharian,
Chairman of the National Democratic Party, declared this on October
31 at the Pastark club. In his words, the content of the Electoral
Code’s amendments expresses the real intention of the authorities. In
the MP’s words, the newly independent countries that really strive
for democratization use exclusively the model of elections by the
proportional electoral system and those going towards authoritarianism
the majoritarian one. As an example of the last one he mentioned the
last parliamentary elections in Azerbaijan held by 100% majoritarian
electoral system.

Attaching importance to introduction of 100% proportional electoral
system in Armenia, Sh.Kocharian said that such elections should
be held by the rating principle, that is the place taken by a
candidate on the party electoral roll should be decided by an
elector. Sh.Kocharian also attached importance to use of principle
of balance in the process of formation of electoral commissions,
according to which pro-governmental and opposition political forces
should be equally represented in the commissions. The MP also
said that if in early November RA Constitutional Court sustains the
opposition’s lawsuit, according to which judges’ inclusion in electoral
commissions is anti-constitutional, NA will have to touch upon the
issue of commissions’ formation. NDP Chairman also touched upon the
amendments to the Electoral Code, which create "holes" for electoral
violations. In his words, it would be a good idea to put voting-papers
into envelopes, if the law excluded the possibility of marking them. In
Sh.Kocharian’s opinion, for insuring against violations printing and
delivery of voting-papers should be controlled by one body. Besides,
the law should exclude the possibility of nomination of one candidate
at an electoral district. The MP said that the Venice Commission also
expressed the same opinion about the last two points. Sh.Kocharian
gave assurance that improving the Electoral Code is a necessary, but
not sufficient condition for holding free and fair elections. In his
words, even if the parliament rejects the amendments proposed to the
Electoral Code and the acting variant of the law remains in force,
holding of free and fair elections is possible in this case, too,
if the authorities indeed have such an intention.