YEREVAN. – Hraparak daily of Armenia writes: The draft [amendments to the Electoral Code (EC)] has already been put into circulation, and yesterday, hearings were being held in the NA [(National Assembly)] [Standing] Committee on State and Legal Affairs, with the participation of representatives of NGOs and extra-parliamentary forces attached to the authorities.

As we had written [before], the [ruling] CC [(Civil Contract Party)] is once again reshaping the EC in its "clothes." [CC MP] Vahagn Hovakimyan, the main speaker of the draft, said in his opening speech during the hearings that the need for amendments had arisen after the 2021 parliamentary and then after the local elections at the end of last year, and that the addenda are more of a technical nature.

However, during the discussion it became clear that the authorities are making the CC look like it will be able to seize power more unhindered in the upcoming elections—even in the communities where the CC has lost.

In short, they have decided to learn lessons from the local elections and remove all legislative and legal obstacles that complicate the process of snatching power from the opposition.