RA CEC DOES NOT MIND MAYOR’S VISITS TO ZOO

PanARMENIAN.Net
07.05.2009 20:16 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ At today’s meeting RA CEC discussed Yerevan Mayor
Gagik Beglaryan’s visit to Zoo and election eve activities upon
request of ANC representatives Ruben Torosyan and Patvakan Hovakimyan.

Ruben Torosyan submitted a complaint over Yerevan Mayor Gagik
Torosyan’s violation of electoral campaign rules. On May 1 Republican
Party’s candidate for Yerevan Council of Elders, Gagik Torosyan
delivered a statement in Yerevan Zoo, promising to provide better
accommodations for animals. The statement was broadcast over Public
TV Channel.

CEC representative Eduard Sedrakyan stated that current Yerevan Mayor,
similarly to other parties’ candidates has a right to participate in
such events. Moreover, RA Election Codex does not forbid it.

However, CEC representative Zoya Tadevosyan disagreed with Committee’s
decision and emphasized that RA Election Codex allows coverage of
Mayor’s activities only within the framework of official visits,
but not working ones. Moreover, any candidate, including Yerevan
Mayor has no right to campaign and give electoral promises before
the actual start of election campaign.

CEC Chairman Garegin Azaryan noted that no juridical act can forbid
Mayor from fulfilling his obligations. Vote was cast, resulting in
7 votes for and 1 vote against the decision on legality of Gagik
Beglaryan’s actions.