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Armenia: PACE Monitoring Committee calls for free elections and media
reform
[04:56 pm] 14 December, 2006
Strasbourg, 14.12.2006
At a meeting in Paris yesterday, PACE Monitoring Committee welcomed
Armenia’s constitutional reform, carried out with Council of Europe
assistance, which has created conditions conductive to the
implementation of many of the country’s commitments.
However, in a draft report the committee also warned that an improved
political climate, and dialogue between the ruling coalition and
opposition, would be necessary for the constitution to work
effectively.
`Simply passing legislation is not enough to implement democratic
reforms in the country. The laws must be applied,’ the committee
stressed. `Armenia must now furnish proof of how far it has progressed
along the road to democracy and European integration: the forthcoming
elections must comply with European standards for free and fair
elections, and media coverage of the election campaign and the
elections must be pluralist and unbiased.’
The report, by Georges Colombier (France, EPP/CD) and Mikko Elo
(Finland, SOC), is due to be debated by PACE at its January plenary
session
Draft resolution on the honouring of obligations and commitments by
Armenia (provisional version)
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
