POPULATION ON KASHATAGH GROWS ON THE EVE OF ELECTIONS

KarabakhOpen
07-12-2007 12:17:42

In the latest meeting of parliament the leader of the Democratic
faction Vahram Atanesyan inquired from the government on breaches in
the local election in Kashatagh. According to Vahram Atanesyan, a few
days before the local election on October 14 30 voters were registered
in two villages of the region of Kashatagh, which affected the outcome
of the voting. According to the member of parliament, it was done on
the instruction of the head of the police of the region. The chief
of the NKR Police Arshavir Gharamyan promised to address this issue.

Vahram Atanesyan told details to Karabakh-Open.com. Firstly, the chief
of the police did not answer his question. Arshavir Gharamyan said
he has no information and asked to submit the question in written
form. "Frankly speaking, I thought it was not convenient to send a
written inquiry because the issue raised by the member of parliament
is both information and inquiry," Vahram Atanesyan said.

The member of parliament showed us the data of the Central Electoral
Commission, according to which over 4 thousand voters voted to
the presidential election and 3881 voted to the local election in
Kashatagh. In addition, four communities did not hold local elections,
and the voters of these communities count 182.

According to the information of the member of parliament, voters were
registered in two former communities Tsitsernavank and Melikashen
which have been joined into one community recently. According to
the CEC information, during the presidential election 55 voters
were included in the voters’ register in Tsitsernavank, and 24 in
Melikashen. In a few months, during the local elections 99 and 39
respectively were registered, growing by 14 and 15 respectively.

"The media report slower rate of settlement and migration from the
region of Kashatagh, and considering that from July 19 to October 14
the number of voters grew by 29 in two communities, the population
of the village increased by 40. This rate of growth is gratifying
but we can see that the population of the region has gone down,"
said Vahram Atanesyan.

He says the police acted unfairly toward the voters of the two small
communities. He says 30 of 100 voters got ballots, which causes
suspicion.

Vahram Atanesyan says the ex-mayor of the community was deprived of
the right to appeal against the decision because the police searched
his house for illegal weapon and ammunition without a warrant. "This
is clear pressure. Everyone, including a member of parliament, head
of community or governor, should realize that the population of the
settled regions is highly sensitive and vulnerable, who may be hurt
even by a rude tone of voice," the member of parliament says.

Vahram Atanesyan says there is an unhealthy climate in the regional
center Berdzor as well, which has recently elected mayor. "Some
officials, including the police were dissatisfied with the outcome
of the election.

They think the mayor is not worthy but this is the will of
people. Those who supported the mayor elect are undergoing persecution
from reprimand to firing from work. Even the district judge is under
pressure," Vahram Atanesyan says. In addition, the officials and the
Police are involved in this.

"It should be made known through the media, and a political and
legal evaluation should be given to this. The executive should tackle
this atmosphere, otherwise complications may occur," the member of
parliament said.