CIS EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE’S OBSERVATION MISSION PLANS TO VISIT ALL 41 ELECTORAL DISTRICTS ON DAY OF RA NA ELECTIONS

Noyan Tapan
Apr 05 2007

YEREVAN, APRIL 5, NOYAN TAPAN. The observation mission of CIS Executive
Committee plans to visit all of 41 electoral districts and over 60%
polling stations on the day of RA NA elections, May 12. Vladimir
Rushaylo, observation mission’s head, Secretary of CIS Executive
Committee, informed journalists on April 5 after his meeting with
Chairman of RA CEC.

In his words, 9 CIS member-countries have expressed readiness to
implement observation mission at Armenian parliamentary elections. It
was mentioned that the mission will hold long-lasting observations
in the preelection period.

The issue of bringing the number of observers accredited in CEC in
advance from 8 to 29 has been already coordinated for this purpose. The
number of observers carrying out observation on the day of voting
has not been made clear yet, but in V. Rushaylo’s words, it is no
less than 150 and even more.

V. Rushaylo said that the observation mission has started studying RA
Electoral Code. In his words, the most important task of CIS observers
is to find out correspondence of elections to the Electoral Code of
the country. He also said that in its activity the mission will be
guided by legal norms regulating international observation missions’
activity. V. Rushaylo stressed that the task of the mission headed
by him is to reveal the possible shortcomings and to find out their
character, as well as possible influence of the latters on election
results.

The observation mission of CEC Executive Committee will make a final
statement the day following summing up the results of elections. In
V. Rushaylo’s words, it will be based on the conclusion of the
coordinating council composed of CEC representatives of CIS
member-countries.

In response to the question about essentially differing conclusions of
CIS and OSCE observers about elections held in post-Soviet countries
in the past years, which , V. Rushaylo said that he does not comment
upon activity of other observation missions. He categorically refuted
the rumors that CIS observers usually make up the draft conclusion
in advance mentioning that it is impossible even if because deputies
of different CIS countries are included in the mission, and it is
impossible to instruct them.

As the Secretary of CIS Executive Committee affirmed, no "absolutely
sterile" elections are held in any country of the world, and there
are always some technical shortcomings and omissions. V. Rushaylo who
has personally observed at least 16-17 elections in CIS countries,
assured that usually the shortcomings did not have a systematic
character and had no impact on election results.