CEC PROVIDES EXPLANATIONS TO SEVERAL INQUIRIES

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 22, NOYAN TAPAN. Explanations were provided to a
number of inquiries and applications at the December 21 sitting of the
RA Central Electoral Commission (CEC). Particularly, the CEC provided
explanations to the chairman of the "Supreme Council Deputy Club" NGO
Ruben Torosian, who claimed that there are discrepancies between a
number of articles of the Electoral Code and he had applied to the CEC
for explanation. Commenting on the questions of R. Torosian, the CEC
chairman said that "the applicant does not see the difference between
the notions "a citizen proposed as presidential candidate" and "a
presidential candidate".

In connection with another question of R. Torosian, Garegin Azarian
pointed out that it has been stated repeatedly that the list signed by
voters may not be made public. "It does not mean that the applying side
may not see these lists in case of submitting an application about
recount or in case of the issue’s examination in court. However, it is
not allowed to make excerpts from these lists, photocopy them, put them
up on the wall, etc".

The CEC rejected the proposals made by the CEC member from "Orinats
Yerkir" party Sona Sargsian regarding making amendments in the order of
using TV time for pre-election campaign of presidential candidates. In
particular, it was proposed to establish the interval from 7:30 p.m. to
11 p.m. as TV time for campaign. The CEC chairman commented that under
the Constitution, no one can interfere in the independence of
activities of the mass media.