THE HIGHER IS TURNOUT AT ELECTIONS, THE MORE DIFFICULT IT WILL BE TO FALSIFY RESULTS OF ELECTIONS, NDP CHAIRMAN SAYS

Noyan Tapan
Apr 12 2007

YEREVAN, APRIL 12, NOYAN TAPAN. This time the issue of power will be
solved at the parliamentary elections and the presidential elections
will be only their derivative. RA MP Shavarsh Kocharian, Chairman of
National Democratic Party (NDP), gave assurance at the April 12 press
conference. Therefore, in his words, the forthcoming parliamentary
elections essentially differ from the previous ones. As S. Kocharian
affirmed, these elections can become a turning point for Armenia. The
evidence of this is the fact that the Council of Europe sends a big
monitoring group to Armenia, which is the first of this structure’s
missions, which also conducts preelectoral monitoring.

In S. Kocharian’s words, the circumstance that the authorities take
part in the elections with two wings is not consequence of agreement,
but real competition, which is accompanied by growing tension. In
his words, in the power camp they have not reached an agreement on
distribution of future posts.

In the words of NDP Chairman, those speaking about the election
results’ being predetermined willy-nilly serve the goal of the
authorities, i.e. reproduction. As S. Kocharian affirmed, the
authorities are interested in low turnout at elections, as the higher
is turnout, the more difficult it will be to falsify the results
of elections. At the same time he said that the prevailing majority
of electors, whom it is impossible to bribe of frighten, do not go
to polls.

Answering the question about his having a pro-Western position
S. Kocharian said that though he is a supporter of European
integration, nevertheless, he considers that this should not be at
the expense of Armenian nation’s identity and national values. In
his words, NDP considers unacceptable betraying national values to
please the West, in particular, speaking about concessions in the
Nagorno Karabakh issue.

For each person the first and foremost is his social condition, but
for solving the social problems and creating jobs a country needs
democracy and rehabilitation of economy. S. Kocharian expressed
such opinion commenting upon the statement voiced in Prime Minister
Serge Sargsian’s interview to Financial Times British newspaper that
"Armenia considers economic growth more primary than improvement of
human rights."