Armenians vote for president, PM expected to win
By Hasmik Lazarian and Margarita Antidze

19 Feb 2008 15:04:38 GMT
Source: Reuters

YEREVAN, Feb 19 (Reuters) – Armenians voted on Tuesday in a
presidential election that Prime Minister Serzh Sarksyan, given credit
for rising living standards, is expected to win.

A leading opposition challenger alleged there had been voting
irregularities. The opposition has promised mass protests in the
capital if they conclude the authorities have rigged the election in
Sarksyan’s favour.

Opinion polls give Sarksyan, an ally of outgoing President Robert
Kocharyan, more than 50 percent support. Most observers predict that
if Sarksyan is elected, his rule will be broadly a continuation of
Kocharyan’s decade in office.

Armenia is squeezed between Turkey and Azerbaijan in a region that
is emerging as an important transit route for oil exports from the
Caspian Sea to European and world markets.

Sarksyan, after voting in a public school in Yerevan, said the
most important issue was that Armenia was conducting a free and
fair election.

"It’s not important whether the election will be held in one or two
rounds. The most important point is that our election be trustworthy,"
Sarksyan said. The top two candidates will contest a run-off if no
one tops 50 percent in the first round vote.

Voters trickled to the polls when they opened at 8 a.m. (0400
GMT). Polling stations close at 8 p.m. in the country of 3.2 million
people and first results are expected on Wednesday.

The rest of the field is led by former speaker of parliament Artur
Baghdasaryan and Levon Ter-Petrosyan, a former president who was
forced to resign in 1998 and is now seeking a comeback.

"I’m confident that I’ll win in the first round … I’ve voted for
freedom," Ter-Petrosyan said after casting his ballot.

"There are some ‘dirty things’ already going on," he said, but declined
to give details on specific cases.

TEST OF STABILITY

Previous elections in Armenia, high in the Caucasus mountains, have
been followed by mass opposition protests alleging ballot fraud.

Baghdasaryan also said there had been violations. "There is absolute
chaos at one polling station in Yerevan … which is impeding the
voting process," said a spokeswoman for his campaign.

"At another polling station people were distributing voting lists
that were already filled in favour of one candidate."

Kocharyan, 53, is barred by the constitution from serving a third
consecutive term. He is expected to remain influential but has refused
to disclose what role he wants until his replacement is inaugurated.

"I think no one has any doubt about whom I would be voting for. I
voted for stability and prosperity in Armenia," Kocharyan said,
after casting a ballot at the same polling station where his prime
minister had voted an hour later.

"I voted for Sarksyan because I don’t want Armenia to be plunged into
chaos again," said Khachatur Babayan, 63, a doctor. Many Armenians
associate Ter-Petrosyan’s time in office with economic meltdown and
power blackouts.

But others said they wanted change.

"I think that Levon Ter-Petrosyan will be able to help people, to make
our country really prosperous," said school teacher Hasmik Hovannesyan,
54, as she cast her ballot.

Armenia is still officially at war with Azerbaijan over the breakaway
region of Nagorno-Karabakh. Yerevan has frosty relations with Turkey,
in part because of a bitter dispute over the killing of Armenians by
Ottoman Turks during World War One. (Writing by Margarita Antidze;
Editing by Robert Woodward)