ARMENIA’S GOVERNMENT SHOULD RECTIFY SHORTCOMINGS REVEALED BY OSCE OBSERVERS IN PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS

ARKA
Feb 26, 2008

YEREVAN, February 26. /ARKA/. Armenia’s Government should rectify the
shortcomings recorded by OSCE observers in the presidential elections
in Armenia, OSCE Chairman-in-Office, and Minister of Foreign Affairs
of Finland Ilkka Kanerva told a press conference. The shortcomings
are recorded in interim reports of ODIHR/OSCE mission, as well as in
the final document to be published in mid April, he said.

Kanerva said that the preliminary report of ODIHR/OSCE contains both
positive and negative conclusions that should be considered by the
Armenian Government. The ODIHR/OSCE final report will be the critical
document showing all the violation facts recorded by the observers
including the ones troublesome for the government, he said. This long
time is required for preparation of the report due to necessity to
ensure reliability of the document, the OSCE Chairman-in-Office said.

Presidential elections were held in Armenia on February 19. According
to the final results of the elections published by the Central
Electoral Commission on February 24, Serge Sargsian with 862,369 votes
(52.82%) is the winner followed by the ex-president of Armenia Levon
Ter-Petrosian with 351,222 votes (21.5%).

Total of 1,636,666 eligible voters participated in the elections.

Since February 20 rallies, sit-ins and student walkouts have been
held by the opposition in the center of Yerevan. The initiators and
participants of the opposition actions protest against the results
of the February 19 presidential elections published by the Central
Electoral Commission.