IN WORDS OF CEC CHAIRMAN, TOTAL EXPENDITURES OF PREPARING AND HOLDING MAY 12 ELECTIONS TO MAKE NEARLY 875.5 MLN DRAMS

Noyan Tapan
Mar 14 2007

YEREVAN, MARCH 14, NOYAN TAPAN. At the May 14 sitting RA CEC made
changes in a number of decisions made earlier, as well as invalidated
some decisions.

In particular, due to amendments made to the Electoral Code, the
points of the schedule of main events of preparation and holding
RA elections regarding formation of district centers and holding of
votings at RA diplomatic or consular representations were recognized
as invalid. This is conditioned by the circumstance that according
to the amendments made to the Electoral Code, henceforth votings will
be held only in RA territory.

The Commission unanimously established the order of assisting citizens
not able to fill in the ballot-paper on their own in connection with
their poor eyesight. According to that order, another citizen can
help such citizens at their request, but he must not be CEC member or
empowered body. For the first time is is planned to give electoral
commissions a cardboard patterns corresponding to the ballot-paper
with holes instead of the tetragon intended for marking. A voter can
do another actions connected with voting on his own or with the help
of a commission member or citizen accompanying him.

CEC also approved the estimate of expenditures connected with
preparation and holding of 2007 parliamentary elections. According
to the estimate, over 678.4 mln drams (nearly 1.9 mln USD) will be
allocated from the state budget for this purpose. In the words of
CEC Chairman Garegin Azarian, in consideration of the expenditures
of making ballot-boxes and training commission members, in total,
the expenditures will make 875.5 mln drams, which is 1.04 USD per
one voter. 255.4 mln drams or 0.19 USD per one voter was spent in 2003.