ARTAK ZEYNALIAN: ELECTORAL ROLLS HAVE MANY SHORTCOMINGS

Noyan Tapan
Apr 18 2007

YEREVAN, APRIL 18, NOYAN TAPAN. The "Hanrapetutyun" ("Republic") party
has found a considerable number of shortcomings in electoral rolls
of several settlements. Particularly, the addresses of some voters
are absent in the electoral rolls of the village of Zovuni. Artak
Zeynalian, member of the party’s political board, candidate for
deputacy on the proportional list, told NT correspondent about it.

Besides, according to him, the party has certain difficulties related
to mass media coverage of the pre-electoral campaign. In particular,
as A. Zeynalian said, Public Television did not broadcast any part
of leader of the "Republic" party Aram Sargsian’s speech during his
recent meeting with voters in Yerevan’s Shengavit community.

In the words of A. Zeynalian, an efficient propaganda campaign is
prevented by the fact that the time of political advertising on Public
Television coincides with working hours, as a result of which speeches
of political forces do not reach a wide audience. He pointed out the
high tariffs for using the paid TV time and for placing advertisements
on external posters as other obstacles.

By the way, at the April 18 press conference Chairman of the RA
Central Electoral Commission (CEC) Garegin Azarian stated that the
police responds quite promptly to citizens’ calls about inaccuracies in
electoral rolls. He assured that all shortcomings found in electoral
rolls will be eliminated. In his words, reviewing the current order
of TV time allotment for pre-electoral propaganda campaign on Public
Television is inexpedient for several reasons. He reminded that none
of the representatives of 25 political forces objected when this
order was approved at the CEC sitting, and currently none of them,
except for the "New Times" and "Republic" parties and the "Impeachment"
bloc, has officially expressed any discontent.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress