IN AHARON ADIBEKIAN’S WORDS, FIVE PARTIES HAVE REAL POSSIBILITY TO OVERCOME 5% THRESHOLD IN ELECTIONS

Noyan Tapan
Apr 18 2007

YEREVAN, APRIL 18, NOYAN TAPAN. Among the political forces
participating in the coming parliamentary elections by the
proportional electoral system, the Republican Party of Armenia,
"Bargavach Hayastan" (Prosperous Armenia), "Orinats Yerkir" (Country
of Law), Armenian Revolutionary Federation, "Zharangutiun" (Heritage),
"Azgayin Miabanutiun" (National Unity) parties have real possibility to
overcome the 5% threshold. Those are results of the April 14 surveys
of the "Sociometer" center, which were made public on April 18 by
center head Aharon Adibekian.

The surveys were held in Yerevan and in 29 cities, among 1500
voters. It was mentioned that compared with surveys held in March,
the RPA rating grew about 20%, coming close to the "Bargavach Hayastan"
rating. The level of acknowledgement of the "Zharangutiun," "Dashink"
(Alliance) and National Democratic parties also grew among the voters,
compared with the previous surveys. In A. Adibekian’s words, besides
2 latter parties, the People’s Party of Armenia and the United
Labour Party also can have possibility to approach transitional
threshold. And in the sociologist’s words, the People’s Party headed
by Tigran Karapetian has serious problems of "loss of speed:" votes
of the PP "melt in the sun like snow."

According to 45.3% of those surveyed, the elections will be held like
the previous ones, with serious violations, in the opinion of 50.6%,
they will be fairer, and 4.1% found it difficult to respond.