NO ELECTORAL BRIBE = NO PARTICIPATION
Anna Israelian

Aravot, Armenia
Nov 1 2006

One of the friends of Ruben Hovsepian who was elected as the head of
Ajapnyak community, spoke about the elections elucidating it.

– 18932 voters of Ajapnyak from 75188 took part in the elections.

This low figure is explained in the following way: people didn’t want
to participate in an election the results of which were determined
beforehand.

– I think this figure is exaggerated. Our adherents were visiting
homes and we knew that a lot of doors were closed. For example, 15-20%
of the inhabitants of the 16th block are out of Armenia. Not counting
those absent inhabitants the participation of 19000 voters is a usual
electoral process. Besides, Ruben Hovsepian’s electoral headquarter
had decided at the beginning that there would be no electoral bribe,
and free and transparent elections would be held.

– But let me cite Gagik Sargsian’s statement that was also the
candidate for the head of the community that Ruben Hovsepian’s
adherents gave 100000Drams to repair the elevator. This ARF candidate
was declaring before the elections that R. Hovsepian would threaten
the voters, and affirmed that he kept the voters in awe.

– It is simply shameful the behavior of some of our politicians who
declare without any proof about the awe the inhabitants of Ajapniak
were kept in, when the whole community was in peace on October 29. No
incident happened there, no problem was raised.

– Your rivals admit that there was no filling, falsifications. But
it is stressed that you have brought voters to the polling station
by cars.

– Some voters have been brought to the polling stations because the
school in the 15th block was repairing and the polling station was
removed to another school. By the way, those voters might vote in
favor of Gagik Sargsian or Ishkhan Arshakian. You know very well that
they can vote whom they want.

– You mentioned beforehand that this election proved that people
"were spoiled" by the electoral bribe.

– Our inhabitants aren’t guilty, they come, suggest, the citizens
take because of bad social conditions. I think a group of voters
didn’t come, as the electoral bribe hadn’t been given.