Lragir, Armenia
Nov 10 2006
PEOPLE ARE PREPARED FOR FAIR ELECTION, GOVERNMENT LACKS POLITICAL WILL
`Armenia suffers the complex of illegitimate elections and,
unfortunately, one of the underlying principles of democracy –
forming and changing government through an election – did not take
place in Armenia. In Armenia, change of power never took place
through elections,’ stated Member of Parliament Victor Dallakyan
November 10 at the Pastark Club. Victor Dallakyan thinks 2006 is a
pre-election year and political activity of the population thereof,
controversies inside the government, the possibility of the
opposition to form different poles, the issue of Nagorno Karabakh,
the end of the office of Robert Kocharyan, etc., may affect the
political situation in Armenia.
There are peculiarities. In 2003 the presidential election was held
first, then the parliamentary election, now we will elect parliament
in 2007 and president in 2008. `In 2003, the so-called coalition
joined their efforts to falsify the outcome of the presidential
election and got their share at the National Assembly and the
government. This time it will be more difficult because there are a
number of candidates both in the government and the opposition, and
they will hardly ally for the parliamentary election.’ The second
peculiarity is the situation after the conference of the Republican
Party. `The neutral and non-pro-government opposition may target at
the Republican Party because the Republican Party can be used in an
effort of reproduction of power.’ `There is an opportunity for a
peaceful change of power,’ states Victor Dallakyan. He is for a 100
percent proportional system of elections and fair elections. But if
the 100 percent proportional system was rejected, he will be
nominated in the electoral district of Vanadzor from where he was
elected three times, and if there are irregularities, Victor
Dallakyan will not keep silent.
And if the government has political will, they had better follow the
example of Georgia, where the representatives of the opposition were
the electoral commissions. Of course, the government needs vivid
fantasy for such moves. And according to Victor Dallakyan, even a
vivid fantasy cannot help imagine that in Armenia the ministry of
home affairs can hold elections like in France, or the tax and
customs agencies like in Sweden. In these countries nobody doubts
that the outcome of the election is fair.
Besides, Victor Dallakyan reminds the statements of the European and
American observers that in Armenia the public is ready for a fair
election, whereas the government lacks political will.