ACCORDING TO ZHARANGUTIUN REPRESENTATIVE’S PREDICTION, POSITIVE CHANGES WILL BE MADE IN ARMENIA AFTER MAY 31 ELECTIONS
Noyan Tapan
May 29, 2009
YEREVAN, MAY 29, NOYAN TAPAN. Positive changes will be made in Armenia
after the May 31 Yerevan Council of Elders elections, at that, in case
of any election outcome. RA NA Zharangutiun (Heritage) faction head
Armen Martirosian predicted at the May 27 meeting with journalists.
According to him, the opposition has won all elections in Armenia
since 1996, but it was not recorded officially. This time, if free
and fair elections are held, which is improbable, opposition’s
inevitable victory will bring positive results. If the elections are
held as always, under the circumstance of no elections in the near
future, President Serzh Sargsyan will have enough time to make real
changes. A. Martirosian is sure that the March 1 events will not recur,
as neither the authorities nor the people have sufficient resource
for it.
According to the deputy, talks that an amnesty will be announced
soon are circulated at NA, at that, among pro-governmental sector
representatives.
And though the recent statement of NA Speaker about it was presented
as a good wish, the process is becoming mature. He expressed the hope
that an amnesty will be announced one of these days, which will also
have a positive influence.
A. Martirosian considers that it will be politically more beneficial
if the amnesty is announced before Yerevan Council of Elders
elections. Though in that case the political prisoners on the March
1 case will not have been released yet and cannot go to ballot,
nevertheless, the fact of amnesty itself can discharge the strained
atmosphere in society.
Granting an amnesty will be also right in consideration of the expected
discussion of the issue of Armenia in PACE. A. Martirosian reminded
that the Monitoring Committee meeting will take place on June 5 and
the PACE plenary sitting on June 24. He said that this structure
attaches importance to the May 31 elections, and the Congress of
Council of Europe Local and Territorial Authorities will also observe
the elections.
A. Martirosian stated that Zharangutiun is going to control elections’
legality with all possible means. According to him, this time party’s
task is not supporting this or that political force, but protecting
fairness and legality.