"FEBRUARY 19 ELECTIONS ARE CULMINATION OF CRIMES ORGANIZED BY AUTHORITIES," MEMBERS OF ZHARANGUTIUN FACTION DECLARE

Noyan Tapan
Feb 26, 2008

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 26, NOYAN TAPAN. The February 19 presidential
elections are the culmination of the crimes organized by the
authorities, which has been implemented by rude and most serious system
violations. This statement was made by Armen Martirosian, a member of
the Zharangutiun (Heritage) faction of the National Assembly, at the
press conference, which was held on February 26. In his words, this
was a great stigma in this short period of the statehood of Armenia,
which will leave a deep wound on the further development.

In the words of Armen Martirosian, it is difficult for the political
forces, which consider as primary the European democratic values
and see the future of Armenia in the family of the European Union,
to explain to citizens why the European authoritative organizations
gave positive marks for the presidential elections. "In the
Russian Federation elections receive very serious marks by the same
organizations and this in case when such violations, as those happened
during the RA presidential elections, have not taken place there,"
he mentioned.

In the opinion of Zaruhi Postanjian, another member of the Zharangutiun
faction, the elections have been held by infringements of international
and numerous RA laws, for the prevention of which the RA Central
Electoral Commission took no step. According to him, in particular,
it was an infringement of law, when Aram Tamazian, the RA Deputy
Prosecutor General, Vova Gasparian, the Chief of the Military Police
of the RA Ministry of Defence, took part in the campaign of Prime
Minister Serge Sargsian. In the estimation of Zaruhi Postanjian,
the recalculation process has also proceeded with acts of violence
and violations. It was also mentioned that the recalculation as well
does not prove its value since as a result of the acts of violence,
the ballot-paper, which has appeared in the ballot-box cannot reflect
the real attitude of society towards any candidate.

The participants of the press conference also stated that all the
detentions having been made for the past few days are a result of
political pursuits.