Tigran Torosian: I Cannot Confidently Affirm That Forthcoming Electi

TIGRAN TOROSIAN: I CANNOT CONFIDENTLY AFFIRM THAT FORTHCOMING ELECTIONS WILL BE HELD WITHOUT VIOLATIONS

Noyan Tapan
Mar 15 2007

YEREVAN, MARCH 15, NOYAN TAPAN. "The forthcoming parliamentary
elections are of exclusive importance for Armenia’s future and
depending on the fact whether all political forces will really realize
this, all participants will realize this, the elections will be such
or not." RA NA Speaker, RPA Vice-Chairman Tigran Torosian stated this
at the meeting organized on March 15 at the Urbat (Friday) club. He
also said that in all probability, during the coming week some steps
will be taken in the direction of forming a working group of "quick
response" consisting of representatives of NA groups and factions
for the purpose of preventing possible violations during the May 12
parliamentary elections.

In T. Torosian’s words, in spite of intention to hold free and fair
elections, nevertheless, there will be "separate violations." "But to
respond quickly and not to permit these attempts to have an impact on
election results – this is not only possible, but also necessary," NA
Speaker said. At the same time, T. Torosian did not exclude that some
out of dozens of thousands of RPA members can take part in violations.

Touching upon the rumors on collecting passports of people on behalf
of RPA and making them join RPA in Yerevan’s Kentron community and
some other communities, T. Torosian stated that RPA Board has never
given any instructions of the kind to anybody.

In connection with the statement of leading Armenian chess-players
about supporting RPA during the forthcoming parliamentary elections
T. Torosian said: "I have known the majority of them, especially
Smbat Lputian since 1970 and I am more than sure that there can be
no political purpose, no speculation here."