"CONSITUTIONAL COURT CANNOT SAY HOW MANY VOTES WE HAVE LOST"
A1+
[07:45 pm] 29 May, 2007
What will the "Heritage" party do in the newly appointed
parliament? The party headed by Raffi Hovhannisian got 7 mandates in
the NA.
Stepan Safaryan, director of Armenian Center for National and
International Studies, answered to the questions of "A1+".
– The party is discussing its parliamentary activities at this
moment. In the autumn the party will present legislative and other
initiatives. It also has plans on upcoming elections and is observing
which events are most likely to implement.
– The "Heritage" has provided registered facts on election riggings
to the "Republican Party of Armenia" to be heard at the Constitutional
Court. What facts are they?
-The document provided by us includes surveys of TV news programs
carried out by the Armenian Center for National and International
Studies, which presents obvious proves that no equal opportunities
existed during the elections. The Court is to decide whether such
unjust campaign can offer transparent and free parliamentary
elections. We have also presented reports of our proxies which
are very serious. For example, we have verified facts that one
person voted twice. In another district coming to the election the
voter found out that there was already a signature in front of his
name. Larisa Alaverdyan witnessed a scene of voting with a false
published passport. There are facts that in a number of districts there
was a messy situation and it was impossible to control it. In some
cases heads of the committees refused to put seals under conclusive
records with the intention to change them later. We have also proves
of bribe cases.
– Why the "Heritage" party did not apply at the Constitutional Court
since it possesses such facts?
– When the "Republican Party of Armenia" asked us we had not received
all the records form the regions yet.
Later it became senseless to apply to the CC separately and we
preferred to strengthen the appeal of the "Republican Party of
Armenia".
– What do you expect from the CC?
– We want at least some riggers to carry responsibility. We do not have
great expectations from the results revision. Since the CC does not
have mechanisms and standards to estimate the qualitative influence
of rigging final results. The CC would hardly be able to say how many
votes has this or that party lost. Even if it proves the fraud cases,
the CC will not qualify it was as organized rigging.
– Will the ‘Heritage" party participate in 2008 presidential elections?
– It is too soon to discuss that question.