Only 20 out of the 24 political parties and one alliance participating in the elections have the necessary funds for the pre-election expenses. The Armenian Marxist political party has not opened a pre-election fund at all. Although the National Accord, Armenian Progressive, Social-Democratic Hnchakyan and Christian-Democratic “Renaissance” parties have created their funds, however there are no entries and no expenses. According to “A1plus”, based on the data presented to the Central Electoral Commission supervising service, the Armenian Republican Party is going to the parliamentary elections with the greatest amount of money (54 million 600 thousand drams) in the fund. The ARF comes in with 45 million 150 thousand drams, “Prosperous Armenia” with 32 million 650 thousand and “National Unity” with 21 million 850 thousand. The top five is rounded off by the oppositional “Heritage” party, who has 20 million 750 thousand drams in its pre-election fund. Based on the data of head of the Central Electoral Commission supervising service Ara Harutyunyan, 207 million drams has already been spent by the political parties during the pre-election campaign. The Armenian Popular Party doesn’t have any money left and has spent its entire 1 million 750 thousand drams. Based on the accounting of the Central Electoral Commission, the Armenian Popular Party spent all of its money on advertisements. Ara Harutyunyan did not deny the fact that in some cases, political parties don’t present accurate accounts. According to him, there are many expenses on concerts, fireworks displays, procurement of fuel, nutrition and other economic expenses. However, the Central Electoral Commission supervising service doesn’t have the jurisdiction to take corresponding action and to and present accounts not corresponding to reality to the political party. As far as the candidates nominated by the majority electoral system are concerned, the “richest” of their pre-election funds are the following: Ashot Tonoyan, nominated in the 3rd precinct, is in first place with 5 million 500 drams, Khachatur Sukiasyan, from the 10th precinct, has exactly 5 million drams for his pre-election campaign, Ruben Hayrapetyan, from the 1st precinct, comes in with 4 million 950 thousand drams, and Vahe Hakobyan, nominated in the 38th precinct, has 4 million 870 thousand drams in his pre-election fund. The candidates with more than 3 million drams in their funds include Harutyun Pambukyan, Hayrapet Hayrapetyan, who will compete in the 6th precinct, and Serge Sargsyan’s brother, Alexander Sargsyan, nominated in the 37th precinct.
