FOUR ARMENIAN PARTIES PROTEST ELECTION RESULTS IN HIGH COURT
RIA Novosti, Russia
May 29 2007
YEREVAN, May 29 (RIA Novosti) – Four political parties in Armenia
have contested the results of the recent parliamentary elections in
the Constitutional Court, calling them falsified and undemocratic,
a court official said Tuesday.
More than two million Armenians voted May 12 in Armenia’s fourth
elections since the South Caucasus country gained independence in
1991, with 22 parties and one election bloc running for 131 seats in
the parliament.
"The lawsuits have been filed by the New Times, the Republic,
the Orinats Yerkir parties and the Impeachment bloc," said Ovannes
Papikyan, a spokesman for the court.
The spokesman said the Constitutional Court would hold its first
hearings on the matter June 1.
According to election results, the Republican Party, led by Prime
Minister Serzh Sarkisyan, won 32.8% of the vote, the pro-presidential
Prosperous Armenia 14.7%, the Dashnatsutyun party 12.7%, and the
opposition parties Orinats Yerkir and Heritage received 6.8% and 5.8%
of the vote, respectively.
The opposition questioned the results, citing "numerous violations of
electoral procedures" during the May 12 elections. Three opposition
members in the Central Election Committee refused to sign a protocol
affirming the legitimacy of the election.
However, Western observers said for the first time since the collapse
of the Soviet Union that the election held by the former Soviet
republic was fair, despite a few violations.
On May 14, the EU’s foreign policy and security chief, Javier Solana,
praised the parliamentary elections in Armenia, saying they were held
in line with international norms and regulations.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
