Chairman Of Armenian CEC Stated That The Decision Of "Heritage" Part

CHAIRMAN OF ARMENIAN CEC STATED THAT THE DECISION OF "HERITAGE" PARTY IS "INTERFERENCE IN THE ACTIVITY OF THE ELECTORAL COMMISSIONS"

Mediamax
January 22, 2008

Yerevan /Mediamax/. Chairman of the Central Electoral Commission
(CEC) of Armenia Garegin Azarian stated today that the intention
of "Heritage" party to let non-parliamentary political forces, in
particular, the candidates for the position of the President Levon
Ter-Petrosian and Vazgen Manukian, have the seats in the electoral
commissions, belonging to "Heritage" party, is "interference in the
activity of the electoral commissions".

Garegin Azarian stated today in an interview to Mediamax that in
accordance with the Electoral Code of Armenia, after the appointment
of its members in electoral commissions, the party, appointing them,
does not have the right to recall them, and this is the factor securing
the liberty of the commission members, who should base exclusively
on the requirements of the electoral legislation of the country in
the actions.

According to the Chairman of CEC, in accordance with point 9 of article
33 of the Electoral Code, the electoral commission should fulfill only
the responsibilities, imposed on them by the law, and the article 1
reads that the responsibility for the legality of organization and
holding the elections rests on the bodies, which form the Central
Electoral Commission, and officials.

Garegin Azarian noted that the decision of "Heritage" contradicts the
requirements of the electoral legislation concerning the liberties
of the commission members.