Regnum News Agency, Russia
Feb. 20, 2008

International observers: Armenian presidential election mostly in
accordance with international standards

According to preliminary assessment of international observers from
the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, PACE (Parliamentary Assembly of the
Council of Europe), the OSCE/ODIHR (Office for Democratic
Institutions and Human Rights), the European Parliament, the
presidential election in Armenia mostly satisfied the international
standards, OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s Vice President, Senator from
Belgium Anne-Marie Lizin said at a press conference on February 20.

A REGNUM correspondent quotes her as saying that high-ranking
officials took all possible measures to address shortcomings fixed at
previous elections. `The European observers have found that the
Armenian authorities took effective measures to address the
shortcomings of the last elections, but it is necessary to work for
further change and demonstrate political will to touch upon the
subjects that cause lack of public confidence in the election
process,’ Lizin noted.

She added that the Central Election Commission (CEC) showed high
level of transparency in its actions except for the process of
tackling complaints that were discussed at informal meetings of the
commission without election agents, observers or the media. Despite
the fact that it does not conflict with the legislation of the
country, such way of their actions posed under threat the confidence
of the election participants.

Lizin added that many candidates were participating actively in the
election campaign and had an opportunity to present their programs to
the electorate; they didn’t encounter obstacles in organizing
rallies.

Speaking on election campaign coverage in the media, Lizin noted that
mostly the coverage of all the candidates in the media was balanced.
However, one of the candidates was granted more negative coverage by
television channels, especially by the Armenian Public Television.
`At the same time, the candidate from the ruling party continued
fulfilling his duties of the prime minister that brought him some
advantages during the election campaign,’ she added. The observers
emphasized that there was absolutely no criticism against the
authorities on television.

In general, Anne- Marie Lizin noted that some members of the
observation mission became the witnesses of `very-very bad
incidents,’ however, the process made the impression of some
progress. `We cannot state on the scale of such accidents, but the
very fact that those accidents took place must be taken into
account,’ she stated noting that `for example some participants may
initiate vote recount.’