18TH CONFERENCE OF THE ASSOCIATION OF ELECTORAL AUTHORITIES OF EUROPE KICKS OFF IN YEREVAN

ARMENPRESS
Sep 3, 2009

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 3, ARMENPRESS: 18th annual conference of Association
of Electoral Authorities of Europe opened today in Yerevan. Nearly 150
representatives of 28 states and different international organizations
– constitutional, federal election courts, heads of Central Electoral
Commissions, as well as their members and experts take part in it.

During the conference to be held September 5 discussions will be held
over themes like judicial protection of the electoral right, the role
of the courts in the election process, mechanisms of restoration
of active electoral right and judicial protection, international
experience of applying sociology in the election process, etc.

During the opening ceremony of the conference the NA Speaker Hovik
Abrahamyan, greeting the foreign guests, noted: "I’m glad to take
part in the annual conference of the Association of the Electoral
Authorities of Europe, the 18th meeting of which has been decided to
be held in Yerevan. I welcome the activeness shown by the RA Central
Electoral Commission in this issue. I’m sure that in the future it
will continue its cooperation with the European partners with same
enthusiasm."

According to him, for each democratic state the electoral system is one
of the most important strategic resources. Respecting and protecting
principal human rights and freedoms continuously efforts are exerted
towards creation of more efficient mechanisms for their protection.

"Today there is an issue of efficient protection of the electoral
right in numerous democratic states of the world. In this issue I
strictly stress the importance of the international cooperation and
exchange of experience. As a rule there are general achievements in
the electoral systems of all the democratic states and particularly
in the issue of protection of the electoral right. At the same
time there are also general issues that can be solved only through
joint efforts, by studying th ressed. He wished the conference an
efficient and fruitful activity expressing wish that besides active
participation in the works of the conference the participants will
also have time to get acquainted to our state, our rich history and
cultural heritage as well as enjoy the Armenian hospitality.

Secretary General of the Association of Electoral Authorities
of Europe Zoltan Tot said that Armenia undertakes serious steps
toward full implementation of the demands of democracy one of them
being working out of mechanisms toward establishment of a fair and
independent electoral system.

According to deputy head of Russian Central Electoral Commission
Stanislav Vavilov the election process is rather complicated and
heavy; modern information technologies also have impact on them. He
said that the conference will give an opportunity to record successes
through exchange of experience.

During the conference an exhibition of election equipments and services
will also be organized.

The Association of Electoral Authorities of Europe was established in
1991. The Association is for one year’s period chaired by the Central
Electoral Commission of the state where the subsequent conference
will be held.

Armenia is a member of the Association since 1999. RA Central Electoral
Commission, the Association of Electoral Authorities of Europe with
the support of OSCE Office in Yerevan and the Armenian branch of
the International Foundation for Election Systems are organizers of
the conference.