Panorama.am

17:13 03/02/2007

SOCIOLOGIST EXPECTS MORE ELECTION FRAUD

‘The election campaign will be more tense this year with more election
fraud because about 50,000 people participate in the election process
starting from election committee members and finished with authorized
persons,’ Aharon Adibekyan, a renowned sociologist in Armenia, told a
debate with the editor-in-chief of Aravot daily.

In his words, they are uncontrollable for each other because of
conflict of interests. On the other hand, new players have come about
in the political field and the struggle is within the governing
power. The Prosperous Armenia, which has gained big power, is
center-oriented and is approaching to the Armenian Republican Party
(HHK), he said.

`However, if they reach a gentleman agreement and commit as little
violations as possible, it will be possible to have democratic
elections in Armenia,’ Adibekyan said. In his words, the developments
show that the two parties will reach such an agreement.

Aram Abrahamyan, editor-in-chief of Aravot daily, believes that the
elections are already faked. In his words, the authorities own all
administrative resources to attract the public. `The authorities have
power which are not connected to money,’ he said. Abrahamyan also
predicts that if Prosperous Armenia and HHK do not conflict each
other, no major violations will be reported. Abrahamyan believes the
Armenian Revolutionary Federation and United Working Party will get
only `left-outs’ of power.

Source: Panorama.am