DAVIT HAROUTIUNIAN: VIOLATIONS NOTICED IN ELECTORAL PROCESS ARE INSIGNIFICANT AND HAVE NO INFLUENCE

Noyan Tapan
May 10 2007

YEREVAN, MAY 10, NOYAN TAPAN. According to characterization of
Justice Minister Davit Haroutiunian, the office responsonsible of the
Republican Party of Armenia, controlling legality of the parliamentary
elections in Armenia, the RPA, being the political force represented
among the authorities in the most extended way, undertook the
responsibility for the coming elections and will struggle against
violations during the electoral process. Responding the questions
addressed to him during the May 9 meeting with journalists,
D. Haroutiunian mentioned that the formulation concerning the
electoral bribe is not enough clear in the Electoral Code,
criminal legislation. He also stated that processes proceed in
the party at present and "some people were called to account for
some violations." In D. Haroutiunian’s words, all the parties allow
violations, there are violations in this or that way in all countries,
the problem is the following: do they influence on the electoral
process? In his words, the noticed violations are insignificant and
have no influence on the whole process.

According to the RA Justice Minister’s estimation, unlike the previous
years, courts are much more ready: "I think that, in general, the
judicial system grows, we get a more qualified justice system year by
year." At the same time, in the Armenian Justice Minister’s opinion,
the law on parties, the electoral system must be reviewed. In his
words, a special part of amendments must be dedicated to strengthening
and reinforcement of the system of local self-government, with some
policy, and a special part must be dedicated to the judicial-legal
reforms. D. Haroutiunian attached importance to working out of the
civil, criminal and administrative judicial codes. He did not either
exclude implementation of reforms in the Constitution. "Economic
reforms got much ahead of political reforms and, in the case of not
securing political reforms, Armenia will have speeds of inconstant
development," the Justice Minister of Armenia mentioned.