Category: 2018

The Ombudsman, the Ministry of Defense, the Investigation Committee and the Free Observer made public a number of irregularities during the early elections.

Emil Lazarian
Arminfo, Armenia
Dec 9 2018
The Ombudsman, the Ministry of Defense, the Investigation Committee  and the Free Observer made public a number of irregularities during  the early elections.

ArmInfo.On the telephone of the Human Rights Defender hotline, at 18:00, 59 signals were received. This is reported by the press service of the  Ombudsman.

According to the source, most of them relate to voting in a  place other than the place of registration, the rights of persons who  are unable toself appear in polling stations or people nameswhich are  not included in the voter list, issues were also raisedrelated to the  violation of the secrecy of voting, changing the place of voting  withoutprior notification of this and others. In addition to  messages,the hotline also studied messages received from the media  and social networks, the total number of which was 750 signals.On  December 9, the hotline of the Ministry of Defense received 39  signals. In particular, they are connected with the organization of  elections, the placement of military personnel in polling stations  and with questions of voting by the military on vacation. A signal  was also received that the police had entered the polling stations in  a martial order, however, it was established that this was just a  misunderstanding, and after a warning the servicemen stood in line.As  of 18:00, the Investigation Committee of Armenia received 12 reports  containing elements of violation of the Criminal Code. 1 signal came  from Yerevan, 4 from the Syunik region, 4 from the Shirak region, and  1 signal each from Vayots Dzrosk, Ararat and Armavir regions. 10 out  of 12 signals concern repeated voting, 1 violation of voting secrets,  1 obstruction of freedom of  voting. 

The observer mission "Free Observer", in turn, announced the recorded  violations on the provision of 16:00. Several incidents were recorded  in Yerevan. They were associated with violation of the secrecy of the  vote, and in the village of Argel, Kotayk region, a case of military  serviceman's vote was recorded, in violation of Article 65 of the  Electoral Code of Armenia.

Fingerprint scanner once again did not recognize Serzh Sargsyan`s fingerprints during voting

Paul Hambardsumian
Arminfo, Armenia
Dec 9 2018

ArmInfo. The third President of Armenia, retired Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan, together with his wife Rita Sargsyan, fulfilled their civic duty and refused to talk  with journalists silently leaving the polling station.

Citizens of Armenia will never know for whom Sargsyan voted, who for  more than 10 years led the country.  However, a curious case occurred  during Serzh Sargsyan's voting – the electronic equipment did not  recognize his fingerprints. A similar situation was recorded on May  14, 2017 at the elections to the Council of Elders of Yerevan.   Someone handed a bouquet of flowers to former first lady of the  country in the polling station. 

CEC:Electoral spending of ruling "My Step" bloc were the highest 268.590.708 drams

Ara Felekian
Arminfo, Armenia
Dec 9 2018

ArmInfo.According to the CEC, the ''My Step'' bloc, led by Acting Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan, spent the most money on election campaigning for the early  elections.. This amount was 268.590.708 drams. Meanwhile, in the  elections of 2017, the ''Yelk'' bloc, represented by Pashinyan, spent  only 42,652,739 drams.

Next come the Republican Party of Armenia, which spent 127.342.492  drams. "Prosperous Armenia" and "Enlightened Armenia" spent an equal  amount of funds for 102 671 425 drams. ARF "Dashnaktsutyun" spent 47  086 922 drams, "We" bloc – 31 459 837 drams, "Orinats Yerkir" party -  18 246 932 drams, "Sasna tsrer" – 18 246 932 drams, " Citizen's  decision  " – 6 115 480 drams, the "Christian Revival"  party -  3984700 drams and the party "National Progress" spent the least  amount – 489 400 drams.

In general, 671,518,545 drams were spent on the pre-election  campaign, instead of 865,405,948 drams from last year, although 9  forces took part in the 2017 elections. The lion's share of these  costs fell to the share of the Republican Party – 386,822,249  million.

Governor Jeff Colyer Speaks at 30th Anniversary of Spitak Earthquake in Armenia  

Garnik Zakarian
The Office of the Governor of Kansas, USA
December 8, 2018 Saturday


TOPEKA, Kan.

Governor Jeff Colyer spoke Friday at an event commemorating the 30th anniversary of the Spitak Earthquake in Armenia, a disaster Gov. Colyer assisted with as a medical first responder in 1988. Gov. Colyer was sent to Armenia by then President Ronald Reagan after the earthquake hit. He was one of the first medical responders to arrive in the country after the 6.8 magnitude earthquake destroyed Spitak within 30 seconds, killing 25,000 people and injuring nearly 140,000 people.

"The disaster I saw 30 years ago was tragic, and through the tragedy the Armenian nation showed courage and resilience," said Governor Jeff Colyer, M.D. "Many lives were lost, and many other lives were changed that day. It is important that as humanitarians we always answer the call for help when others need it."

Kansas Adjutant General Maj. Gen. Lee Tafanelli also attended the commemoration with Gov. Colyer. Kansas and Armenia first established a bilateral affairs agreement in June 2003. Fifteen years later, the partnership continues to foster strong relations between the United States and the Republic of Armenia. Kansas and Armenia enjoy an enduring relationship built upon mutual understanding, trust and genuine friendships shared across and throughout our forces. Collaborative efforts between Kansas and Armenia have paved the way for the modernization of the Armenian Armed Forces in the areas of defense reform, enhanced interoperability, defense education reform and civil emergency planning.

"These types of partnerships are critical to international security cooperation," said Tafanelli. "The United States is most successful when it partners with friends and allies to achieve mutual security goals. Armenian peacekeepers have trained alongside Kansas Guardsmen as a result of the State Partnership Program, and many other enduring relationships have been developed benefiting both Armenia and the United States."

Pictures from the anniversary event can be found online at the following news links:

https://news.am/eng/news/485019.html

https://www.mediamax.am/en/news/society/31474/

Azerbaijani Press: Message for the South Caucasus?

Emil Lazarian
Turan Information Agency, Azerbaijani Opposition Press
December 8, 2018 Saturday
Message for the South Caucasus?
 
 
-Almost all political circles in Azerbaijan negatively perceived certain statements made at the meeting of the Lazarev Club held in Yerevan. In particular, the official invitation to attend the meeting of the so-called heads of the unrecognized world community "NKR", voiced by the Club"s initiator, the first deputy head of the State Duma Committee on CIS Affairs, Eurasian Integration and Relations with Compatriots, member of the Scientific Council under the Security Council of the Russian Federation, Konstantin Zatulin. The statement of the press service of the country"s MFA, the purpose of this fact, as well as a number of speeches containing "open attacks against the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Azerbaijan," outlined "causing damage to the existing high level of cooperation between Azerbaijan and Russia." Do you think it is possible to regard the statements made in the framework of the Lazarev Club as a message to Azerbaijan?
 
-In general, the position of K. Zatulin is well known. A couple of days after the end of the meeting in Yerevan, the parliamentarian on air of the National Union of Independent States, reconfirmed the plans of the official Baku "to get from America a benevolent position in the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement" by putting pressure on "Armenia and other mediators" (his unyielding position"), said that representatives of Azerbaijan in Russia are playing" another card of particularly close and friendly relations."
 
However, in October of this year, stating that "my efforts and colleagues are aimed" at preventing "the resumption of war" in Nagorno-Karabakh, "by our opponents" K. Zatulin identified the leaders and those "political circles of Azerbaijan who talk too much about the possibility of war". After what he proclaimed that this "war, by the way, could end with the collapse of Azerbaijan itself", since "this is not the stable country that it wants to be."
 
Is this a kind of hidden threat?
 
– You know, such approach to the situation already took place a little more than 20 years ago.
 
In the spring of 1997, when S. Bergen, the advisor for national security to the US President"s Bill Clinton S. Berger said that one of the Washington"s priorities is the Caspian direction, K. Zatulin (in collaboration with Russian political analyst Andranik Migranyan) published in the Russian "Nezavisimaya Gazeta" an article "CIS: the beginning or end of history. To the change of milestones. It emphasized that in order to "counter" the foreign policy of Azerbaijan should "more effectively use the resources available to Moscow." First of all, "it is necessary to maintain the military superiority of the Armenian army over the Azerbaijani." Secondly, "to stimulate the process of unification of the divided Lezghian people, which will immediately create a new situation in the north of Azerbaijan". Thirdly, "to actualize the problem of Talysh autonomy". The implementation of the latter points will push the country's "federalization", and all "factors in the aggregate should be aimed at creating a situation in which the risk of investment in the extraction and transportation of oil would be unbearably high." Only "the prospect of destabilization" in Azerbaijan can "block the arrival of big money in the region", contributing to the prevention of the violation of the "existing equilibrium in this part of the globe". So there are changes in the position of K. Zatulin.
 
– However, after all, we hear other statements in the direction of Baku, both from the representatives of the higher authorities of Russia, and from those close to the Kremlin.
 
-Yes it is. As a final example, the statement of the deputy of the State Duma of Russia, the head of the Inter-Parliamentary Friendship Group of Russia and Azerbaijan, Dmitry Savelyev, can be cited. Drawing attention to the calls made within the framework of the Lazarev Club to recognize Nagorno-Karabakh as a third party to the conflict and to obtain the right to participate in the negotiations, D. Saveliev proclaimed that Nagorno-Karabakh is not and cannot be a subject of international law, "not any country, even Armenia, does not recognize!". "It is necessary to return the seven regions around Nagorno-Karabakh under the control of Azerbaijan and ensure the right of the refugees to return to their places of former residence.
 
Only then it will be possible to determine the final legal status of Nagorno-Karabakh on the basis of the will of its population," the parliamentarian concluded.
 
In general, in this context, there is some parallel with one episode from the history of the Armenian-Azerbaijani confrontation that occurred in 1988. According to Andrei Grachev, spokesman for Mikhail Gorbachev (the period of his presidency in the USSR), when he was last general secretary of the CPSU Central Committee, in order to "dissolve the warring parties", resorted to "their favorite" game of "two", sending "members of the Politburo Egor Ligachev and Andrei Yakovlev simultaneously to Baku and Yerevan on their own behalf". We will not be distracted by A. Grachev"s emotional passage about the alleged attempt by M. Gorbachev to separate the parties; we will pay attention to his admission that the "stated" Moscow"s positions "exclude each other."
 
Indeed, in Yerevan A. Yakovlev stated that Nagorno-Karabakh is "historically the territory of Armenia", and in Baku E. Ligachev voiced the impossibility of any revision of the borders within the USSR". According to the memoirs of Arkady Volsky, who later played a negative role for Azerbaijan, M. Gorbachev admitted: "There is a rally in Stepanakert. People chant: "Lenin- the party – Gorbachev!", "Stalin – Beria – Ligachev!". Why? Because Ligachev, they say, wants to give Karabakh to Azerbaijanis, and Yakovlev to Armenians. " Do you need additional comments here?
 
– Well, is it possible to call the statements made in the format of the "Lazarev Club" as a kind of signal to both parties?
 
– It is interesting that in the Armenian society, at this stage, not everyone welcomed the activities of this Club. For example, the observer of the Armenian portal lragir.am, Hakob Badalyan, does not exclude that the Lazarev Club "will become just a patch on the old breach." In its structure prevail "adherents of one-sided dependence of Armenia, only and convincing the Armenian people that there is no life without Russia." Modernization of relations between Yerevan and Moscow, the current character of which is detrimental to both countries, A. Badalyan said, is possible only with the realization that Russia is as necessary for Armenia as Armenia is for Russia. Otherwise, the Club will resemble more "a painkiller than a remedy."
 
In this aspect Nikol Pashinyan is interesting, who, while staying in St. Petersburg, expressed confidence in the ability of the CSTO to "prevent Azerbaijan"s attempts to solve the Karabakh issue in military way", voiced the question of how this structure intends to "use this tool?". "For us, this is a matter of strategic importance," he concluded; and in this context, an attempt is made, as if initially to impose responsibility on Azerbaijan for possible military actions in the region.

ANCC Statement Regarding International Human Rights Day and the Genocide Convention Adoption Day / Déclaration du CNAC à l’occasion de la Journée internationale des droits de l’homme et de la l’anniversaire d’adoption de la Convention sur le génocide

Edgar Tavakalian

Armenian
National Committee of Canada

Comité
National Arménien du Canada

 

Tel./Tél. (613) 235-2622

E-mail/Courriel:[email protected]

www.anccanada.org

 

-PRESS RELEASE-

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

December 9, 2018                                                                           Contact:
Sevag Belian (613) 235-2622

 

 

ANCC Statement Regarding International Human Rights Day and the Genocide Convention Adoption Day

 

Today, the Armenian National
Committee of Canada (ANCC) is honouring the International Human Rights Day and
the 70th anniversary of the adoption of the UN Convention on
Genocide.

 

“As we celebrate International
Human Rights Day and mark the 70th anniversary of the adoption
of the UN Convention on Genocide, we recommit ourselves to continue fighting
against injustice, wherever it may be and to whomever it may target,” said
Shahen Mirakian, President of the ANCC.

 

As the largest and most
influential Canadian-Armenian grassroots human rights organization, the ANCC
continues to stand resolute in its fight against hate and bigotry, while
proudly upholding human rights and justice in Canada and around the world.

 

Throughout its years of activism
and advocacy, the ANCC has collaborated extensively with partners in the
Canadian government and Parliament, the Canadian Museum for Human Rights, a
wide variety of cultural communities, and a diverse group of non-governmental
organizations to safeguard the values of respect, tolerance, and equality and to
raise the necessary awareness for genocide condemnation, education, remembrance,
and prevention.

 

“Armenians in Canada and around
the world have a moral duty to safeguard human rights and fight against the
crime of genocide. We welcome both Canada’s and Armenia’s strong commitment to take
action in the field of international genocide prevention efforts,” said
Mirakian.

 

“We are proud that the
representatives of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights are currently in
Armenia to participate at the Global
Forum Against the Crime of Genocide, an international conference dedicated
to combating this grave crime against humanity,” concluded Mirakian.

 

-30-

 

******

 

 

The ANCC is the largest and the most influential Canadian-Armenian
grassroots human rights organization. Working in coordination with a network of
offices, chapters, and supporters throughout Canada and affiliated organizations
around the world, the ANCC actively advances the concerns of the Canadian-Armenian
community on a broad range of issues and works to eliminate abuses of human
rights throughout Canada and the world.

 

 

Armenian
National Committee of Canada

Comité
National Arménien du Canada

 

Tel./Tél. (613) 235-2622

E-mail/Courriel:[email protected]

www.anccanada.org

 

– Communiqué de presse–

9
decembre, 2018                                                                   Contact: Sevag Belian (613) 235-2622

 

 

Déclaration du CNAC à l'occasion de la Journée
internationale des droits de l'homme et de la l’anniversaire d'adoption de la
Convention sur le génocide

 

Le Comité national arménien du Canada (CNAC)
célèbre aujourd'hui la Journée internationale des droits de l'homme et le 70ème
anniversaire de l'adoption de la Convention des Nations Unies sur le génocide.

 

« Alors que nous célébrons la Journée
internationale des droits de l'homme et marquons le 70ème anniversaire de
l'adoption de la Convention des Nations Unies sur le génocide, nous nous
engageons de nouveau à lutter contre l'injustice, partout et en tout temps », a
déclaré Shahen Mirakian, président de l'ANCC.

 

En tant qu'organisation importante et influente
de racine canado-arménienne ayant un objectif de défense des droits de la
personne, le CNAC reste résolue dans sa lutte contre la haine et le fanatisme,
tout en défendant fièrement les droits de la personne et la justice au Canada
et dans le monde.

 

Tout au long de ses années d’activisme, le CNAC
a largement collaboré avec des partenaires du gouvernement et du Parlement
canadiens, le Musée canadien pour les droits de la personne, un large éventail
de communautés culturelles et un groupe diversifié d’organisations non
gouvernementales afin de préserver les valeurs du respect, de la tolérance et de
l'égalité et de sensibiliser le public à la condamnation, à l'éducation, à la
commémoration et à la prévention du génocide.

 

« Les Arméniens du Canada et du monde entier
ont l'obligation morale de protéger les droits de l'homme et de lutter contre
le crime d génocide. Nous félicitons le Canada et l’Arménie d’avoir entrepris
un ferme engagement d’emploi des efforts internationaux de prévention du
génocide », a déclaré Mirakian.

 

« Nous sommes fiers que les représentants du
Musée canadien des droits de la personne se trouvent actuellement en Arménie
pour participer au Forum mondial contre
le crime de génocide, une conférence internationale dédiée à la lutte
contre ce crime grave contre l’humanité », a conclu M. Mirakian.

 

 

-30-

 

******

 

Le CNAC est l’organisation politique
canadienne-arménienne la plus large et influente au Canada. Le CNAC s'occupe activement de représenter
le point de vue collectif arméno-canadien sur les
questions d'intérêt public, et de soutenir et promouvoir les questions
relatives aux droits de l'homme au Canada et à l'échelle internationale. Le
CNAC travaille en étroite collaboration avec ses bureaux régionaux et des
associations affiliées à travers le Canada, ainsi qu'avec d'autres organisations
arméniennes poursuivant des objectifs similaires à travers le monde. 

—
Sevag Belian – Executive Director
Armenian National Committee of Canada
T: (613) 235-2622 | C: (905) 329-8526
E:

Armenia votes in snap polls to cement reform drive

Emil Lazarian 
Agence France Presse
December 9, 2018 Sunday 4:15 PM GMT


Armenia votes in snap polls to cement reform drive

Yerevan, Dec 9 2018

Armenians voted Sunday in parliamentary elections triggered years
ahead of schedule by reformist leader Nikol Pashinyan, who is aiming
to cement his political authority in the post-Soviet country.

The 43-year-old former journalist became prime minister in May after
spearheading weeks of peaceful anti-government rallies that ousted
veteran leader Serzh Sarkisian.

He has pledged to root out endemic corruption and address widespread
poverty, earning him supporters in the impoverished landlocked nation
of about three million people.

"After the elections, we will be developing Armenian democracy and
make an economic revolution happen," Pashinyan told reporters after
casting his ballot, pledging to "hold free, fair, and transparent
elections."

Pashinyan's reform drive had been stalled for months by opposition
from Sarkisian's ruling party, which dominated the National Assembly
until his calculated resignation triggered parliament's dissolution
last month.

At a polling station in central Yerevan voters expressed optimism
about the political change promised by Pashinyan and vented their
anger at former corrupt officials.

"Thanks to the revolution, we will finally have fair elections,"
72-year-old pensioner Parzik Avetisyan told AFP.

"I voted for the positive change promised by Nikol (Pashinyan)," he added.

Another voter, 52-year-old painter Garnik Arakelyan, said: "I want all
those corrupt officials who for many years were robbing and
humiliating people to be jailed."

Turnout was 39.54 percent by 5:00 pm (1300 GMT), eight hours after
polls opened, the central election commission said.

Pashinyan's party is expected to garner a majority in the new
legislature, allowing him to push ahead with his campaign to reshape
the South Caucasus nation's political landscape and spark an "economic
revolution".

"Pashinyan's party is likely to take a dominant position in the newly
elected parliament and to get all the levers they need to step up
promised economic and political reforms," analyst Gevorg Poghosyan
told AFP.

Last week, Pashinyan -- who is acting prime minister -- promised "the
best elections Armenia has ever seen", without ballot stuffing or
voter intimidation.

- 'Revolutionary euphoria' -

Parliamentary elections had not been scheduled to be held until 2022.

Analysts say Pashinyan sought new elections while he is at the peak of
his popularity.

In September, his bloc had a landslide victory in municipal elections,
winning more than 80 percent of the vote in the capital Yerevan, where
nearly 40 percent of the former Soviet Republic's population lives.

"The elections were called on the wave of a revolutionary euphoria,"
Poghosyan told AFP.

"But after the polls, that sentiment will inevitably weaken and
Pashinyan and his team will face a reality check."

On foreign policy, Pashinyan has said Armenia will "further strengthen
(our) strategic alliance with Russia and, at the same time, step up
cooperation with the United States and European Union".

Nine political parties and two electoral blocs are competing for
mandates in the 101-seat National Assembly.

A party needs at least five percent of the votes to be elected to
parliament, while an electoral bloc must clear a seven-percent
barrier.

But -- regardless of how many votes they win -- opposition parties
will take at least 30 percent of parliamentary seats, according to
Armenia's electoral law.

More than 2.6 million people were eligible to vote in the election
monitored by international observers from the Organisation for
Security and Cooperation in Europe.

Polls opened at 0400 GMT and closed at 1600 GMT. Results are expected
to be released in the early hours on Monday.

Armenia Prosecutor General Office to Look Into 32 Alleged Violations at Parliamentary Vote

Maral Chavushian 
Sputnik News Service
December 9, 2018 Sunday 4:54 PM UTC


Armenia Prosecutor General Office to Look Into 32 Alleged Violations
at Parliamentary Vote



YEREVAN, December 9 (Sputnik) - The Armenian Prosecutor General's
Office will investigate 32 cases of possible violations reported
during the country's snap parliamentary elections, a spokesman for the
office said Sunday.

Snap parliamentary elections are being held in Armenia on Sunday for
the first time in the country's history. Two blocks and nine parties
are taking part. There is no turnout threshold, however, to enter the
parliament, a party must secure more than 5 percent of the vote and
alliances must get over 7 percent. At the same time, according to the
law, at least three political forces must be represented in
parliament.

"The Prosecutor General's Office selected 65 notifications [of
violations] out of the multiple appeals. Of them, 32 contained real
incidents of an offense," Sevak Ovannisyan said at a briefing, adding
that the office would be looking into the alleged violations.

The majority of reported violations were related to people voting more
than once, the official said.

Ovannisyan noted that the current elections were held peacefully and orderly.

A political crisis in Armenia broke out earlier in April after
ex-President Serzh Sargsyan was nominated as prime minister. The move,
regarded as a way for Sargsyan, who had served as president for two
terms, to stay in power, led to large-scale anti-government protests
and dissolution of the sitting parliament.

Leader of Velvet Revolution is favourite to win Armenian poll

Emil Lazarian
The Sunday Times (London), UK
December 9, 2018 Sunday
Leader of Velvet Revolution is favourite to win Armenian poll
 
by  Louise Callaghan,  Yerevan
 
 
In a bustling wine bar in Yerevan, a group of young Armenians clinked their glasses in celebration. All through the capital of this once-dreary Soviet backwater, bars and restaurants were filling up.
 
"It was too exciting not to be here," said Aimee Keushguerian, 25, who moved here from Tuscany two years ago to run a wine company with her father.
 
Like her friends, she is a repatriate – an ethnic Armenian raised in the diaspora, who has come to Yerevan to be part of the extraordinary wave of change coursing through this tiny piece of the former USSR.
 
Still scarred by memories of historical atrocities, war with neighbouring Azerbaijan and crippling economic problems, Armenia is holding what is being billed as its first free and fair election today.
 
The vote follows street protests in April that swept away the post-Soviet elite in a peaceful "Velvet Revolution".
 
On Friday, a stalwart of the old regime, former president Robert Kocharyan, was arrested on charges of attempting to overthrow the constitutional order.
 
The frontrunner to win the election is Nikol Pashinyan, an MP and former journalist who led the April revolt. He became interim prime minister but stepped down to campaign for a democratic mandate today.
 
Unlike similar protests in Ukraine and neighbouring Georgia, Armenia's Velvet Revolution was not overtly anti-Russian or pro-western, and Pashinyan courts both Moscow and the West.
 
"In terms of values he aligns to Europe; in terms of the country's economic and security issues he aligns with Russia," a diplomat said.
 
He has little choice. Russia has a military base here as well as vital economic and security links, giving it a tight strategic hold over this landlocked country with a population of 3m.
 
Pashinyan has met the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, several times this year but has also met EU leaders.
 
More than anything, his allies say, he is aware that the country needs money – from East or West. Some public sector workers, who formerly took bribes, want wage rises now that honesty is the rule.
 
His economic policies centre on recovering wealth from the old elite. Their convoys of blacked-out cars have vanished from Yerevan's wide boulevards.
 
"We've already been doing things differently," 43-year-old Pashinysan told The Sunday Times last week, adding: "The first point of our agenda is to encourage our people to be self-confident … to change their own lives."
 
Pashinyan has sold himself on his clean-cut credentials in contrast to the corruption and voter fraud rampant under the old regime.
 
Supporters and critics alike, however, worry that he is a protest politician, ill-equipped to rule. Diplomats and analysts in the country repeatedly described his administration as "chaotic". His chief of staff only recently gave up his day job as a DJ – though his skills have proved adept at calming angry crowds.
 
Although Pashinyan calls himself a man of the people, few in his administration appeared to have direct access to him. A cult of personality is emerging around him – his picture is on the walls of corner shops, his name is spoken with unusual reverence.
 
"I love him," said Sara Anjargolian, who was born in London and moved to Armenia in 2006. "The former government created this bubble around themselves. The corruption was absurd. What Pashinyan has done is brilliant."
 
Millennials were a driving force in the revolution, setting Facebook alive with slogans, mobilising after online calls from Pashinyan. Politicians say 250,000 took to the streets in April and May in what became a carnival in the streets of Yerevan.
 
But his appeal transcends generations. At a rally last week in Etchmiadzin, a small town home to what locals say is the world's oldest cathedral, a crowd of children, professionals and the cloth-capped elderly cheered as Pashinyan promised to smash the power of the oligarchs.
 
Away from the wine bars of Yerevan, much of Armenia is desperately poor. Roads are barely passable in the autumn rain, and around a third of the country lives in poverty.
 
"There is still a lot to be done," said Hamazasp Danielyan, a political scientist who is running for parliament for Pashinyan's party.
 
"There is hope. And some of the expectations are unrealistically high. But one of the most tangible changes is that now people think their actions can have an effect."
 

Competent authorities summed up alarms of violations during voting

Anna Tamamian
Arminfo, Armenia
Dec 9 2018

ArmInfo.Armenian police received 144 alarms of possible violations during the elections.

Three of them concerned attempts to distribute a pre-election bribe,  18 – obstruction of voting, 2 – obstruction of the activities of  observers or members of election commissions, 34 – attempts of  multiple voting and one case of violation of the secrecy of the vote.

The investigation committee received 38 alarms – 8 from Yerevan, 4  from Syunik, 3 – from Aragatsotn, five from Ararat and Gegharkunik, 2  from Armavir, and 1 from Vayots Dzor and Lori. Two alarmls of  multiple voting were received at the Military Investigation  Department.

The Ombudsman's Office, in turn, received 89 alarmls.