PM favoured as Armenia holds presidential vote
19 Feb 08
YEREVAN, Armenia (AFP) — Prime Minister Serzh Sarkisian was headed
for victory in Armenia’s presidential election Tuesday, an exit poll
indicated, but his opponents cried foul and vowed to stage a mass
protest in the capital.
Sarkisian won the election in a first round with 57.1 percent of
the vote, according to the exit poll commissioned by Armenian Public
Television.
Former president Levon Ter-Petrosian came in second with 17.4 percent
while former parliament speaker Artur Baghdasarian came third with
14.6 percent, according to the poll by British pollster Populus.
If confirmed by official returns, the win would clear the way for
the 53-year-old Sarkisian to take over from his close ally, outgoing
President Robert Kocharian.
But even before polls had closed, Ter-Petrosian’s campaign team had
denounced the vote as a fraud and called for a mass rally on Wednesday.
Ter-Petrosian, Armenia’s president between 1991 and 1998, said election
day had been marred by serious violations.
"Very dirty things are happening," he said after voting.
His campaign spokesman Arman Musinian said that dozens of
Ter-Petrosian’s supporters had been beaten Tuesday across the
country. He also said that ballot stuffing, multiple voting and voter
intimidation had been widespread.
"It’s already clear that this is not an election. This is an attempt
by the authorities to seize power," Musinian told AFP.
The first official results were expected early Wednesday.
Voter turnout was 69.25 percent, the Central Elections Commission
reported.
Pre-election polls showed Sarkisian well ahead of his eight rivals in
the race to replace the long-serving Kocharian, who is constitutionally
barred from seeking a third five-year term.
"The most important thing is not how many rounds there are, but that
the election is conducted well and that its results are trusted by
the people," Sarkisian said after voting.
Opposition candidates had warned they would call street protests
if they believed the vote was unfair, raising fears of unrest in a
country known for its volatile politics.
At one Yerevan polling station Roland Serobian said he voted for
Sarkisian because of the prime minister’s promises to improve living
standards.
"I trust him. He’s a man of his word," the 76-year-old said. "Look
how much he has already done."
Others accused the government of being corrupt and authoritarian and
said they supported opposition candidates.
"Only Levon can win and free us from this regime," said 45-year-old
Sos, declining to give his last name. "We’ve had enough. It’s time
for them to go."
Kocharian hand-picked the 53-year-old prime minister to succeed him
after Sarkisian’s Republican Party of Armenia swept parliamentary
polls last May.
The two are long-time associates, both hailing from Azerbaijan’s
rebel Nagorny Karabakh region.
Together they have been credited with ensuring relative stability
and strong economic growth.
Analysts predict Sarkisian will follow in Kocharian’s footsteps,
pursuing close ties with Moscow and a hawkish stance in relations
with neighbouring Azerbaijan and Turkey.
The latter two have cut diplomatic ties and sealed their borders with
Armenia over its support for Armenian separatists in Nagorny Karabakh.
Ankara has also been angered by Yerevan’s campaign to have the World
War I-era mass killings of Armenians by the Ottoman Empire recognised
as genocide.
Ter-Petrosian has called for a more conciliatory approach with
Azerbaijan and Turkey, saying the government has left Armenia deeply
isolated.
Pre-election polls showed Sarkisian hovering at around 50 percent
support, with Ter-Petrosian and Baghdasarian trailing at 10-15 percent.
About 600 foreign observers were monitoring the vote and the
Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) was to
issue a report on the election Wednesday.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
