Yesterday the five parliamentary parties, including the United Armenians Party, Communist Party and the Democratic Party participated in the meeting in parliament aimed at the establishment of a parliamentary group adjacent to the parliament in charge of oversight of the implementation of the Electoral Code and the conduct of electoral processes.
Let’s remember that several days ago the ARF, PA, Heritage and the ANC signed a code of conduct overseeing the process of elections. This memorandum wasn’t signed by the Republican Party. Let’s also remember that Nikoyan has brought up the idea of establishing this working group during the parliamentary discussions about the transition to the 100% proportional system. After that he invited all the five factions of parliament to participate in the activities of the working group. Several days ago, when the memorandum on the establishment of the non-parliamentary chapter was signed, the representatives of the Heritage and ARF Ruben Hakobyan and Artyusha Shahbazyan told us that they hadn’t discussed the suggestion of Nikoyan yet. Yesterday it became known that the five factions will be involved in the parliamentary working group. Yesterday’s meeting hosted members from the RPA, ARF, Legal State, Heritage, heads of factions Galust Sahakyan, Vahan Hovhannisyan, Heghine Bisharyan, Styopa Safaryan and Naira Zohrabyan from the PA. During the discussion it was decided three organizations, which are accredited to monitor the upcoming elections will also have the right to participate in the activities of the working group. The event also hosted a number of representatives from embassies and international organizations – US Embassy, OSCE, CoE, International Financial Corporation, OSCE/ODIHR and other organizations. Moreover, the representatives of international organizations can also participate in the activities of this working group indeed without the right of making decisions. As we have already mentioned ANC is not going to participate in the activities of this group and the rest of the three parties participating in the parliamentary elections do not rush to announce their participation but it gradually becomes clear that they will participate. During yesterday’s meeting the parties discussed specifically the issues they want to include in the agenda. The letter sent from Nikoyan to the participants of the working group reads that the working group will mainly conduct oversight of the implementation of the working group. Hovhannisyan expressed an opinion whether the code is being implemented or not, whether there is any progress compared to the previous election cycle. “I don’t see anybody that would be able to conduct oversight or especially no group can affect the election process. If someone brings a letter of complaint to the group regarding a case of election bribery we should know why he’s coming here. Let him go to the Police, Prosecutor’s Office or CEC. But if this working group doesn’t have a lever to conduct oversight over the election processes then we will turn into some kind of club. But even if there is a lever it will mean conducting monitoring over the election processes. And in this case this will contradict the Armenian constitution. I think we shouldn’t get distracted from the direction detected in your letter, which is the monitoring of the election code. We should detect whether it is implemented properly or not,” said Hovhannisyan. Nikoyan asked whether mass media should be invited to the sessions of this working group. Zohrabyan opposed this by saying that the journalists shouldn’t participate but after each session they may request their comments about the activities of the working group. We spoke to the chairman of the National Assembly Samvel Nikoyan about the activities of the working group as well as with a few representatives of international organizations.
– Mr. Nikoyan, several days ago four political parties signed a memorandum to conduct oversight over the elections outside the parliamentary working group. Don’t you think that the non-parliamentary group is being established because they don’t trust very much the working group initiated by you?
– I wouldn’t like to evaluate the activities of any other working group or structure. I welcome the activity of any working group if it can be useful to the integrity of the election process. What we have initiated has gone through various stages since February. I have made statements about this during the parliamentary hearings. The launch of this idea was made during the conference organized in March. It means that this has already been a 3-4-month idea and has undergone various stages of discussion. It has already become a reality and has started to function. The NA chairman has the right to establish working groups adjacent to the parliament, which has certain powers and leverage defined by the law. If the political parties have the wish to create a campaign structure and start a political dialog amongst each other I don’t see any problem with that either. It will be very good if such a structure is established and they get involved in a rational activity. I wouldn’t like it to turn into a stage for political statements and criticism. This would really become a concerning issue. Life will show how this body will work and whether it will be efficient or not. I wouldn’t like to consider anyone a rival or wouldn’t even like to discuss the matter of credibility. I don’t care much what kind of dreams and wishes different people have in terms of establishment of groups. I know that it will be possible to do useful things in this regard. The international organizations have a very interesting approach in this regard. They have also expressed their willingness to support us. You have also seen their participation. Various political and civic structures participate. And if we sit back and wait for the opinions of others we won’t have any results. We have objectives set in front of us and we should work in that direction.
– Why hasn’t the RPA joined the non-parliamentary group? By doing this, they somehow proved that they are the key initiators of election fraud and violations.
– I’d like to repeat one more time that when one group is busy with making political statements there would be no need to establish a new body. For this purpose they can organize rallies and demonstrations. We have heard such statements for 5 years now and will listen to those again. In this case, we are talking about concrete polices and steps and not just words. Moreover, I am not going to conduct the sessions of the group. The political parties will shift each other in this process. And the mechanism of making decisions is the most liberal approach they possibly exist now.
– It’s been awhile since the RPA, Legal State and the PA have been engaged in election bribery. Will the working group try to deter those? These may affect the results of elections.
– The political parties have decided today to discuss the specter of our activities in our next session.
Carel Hofstra, deputy-head of OSCE office in Yerevan.
– What is your opinion about the establishment of a working group adjacent to the parliament?
– I think that is a very good initiative. The meeting was well organized. Civic and political organizations were represented. This was good for the beginning and we’ll speak about the rest of the issues later.
– A similar group is being established outside the parliament as well. Will your office participate in the activities of this group?
– Of course, if they invite us, we will participate.
– The political party representatives that were present at the discussion spoke about elections bribery. The coalition parties also don’t deny that on these days election robbery and free services are offered to citizens – money, pesticides, grain, jam, glasses, Easter eggs and rice. The only thing is that they call this charity and not bribery. Under these conditions do you believe that this structure may bring any positive outcomes?
– I wouldn’t like to draw conclusions or make comments now. This working group is discussing these matters and this is none of my business. As you have observed they are going to discuss in the next session the specter of issues to include in their agenda. I don’t think it would be appropriate if I said what’s right and what’s wrong. And you know well that I am representing the OSCE Yerevan office and not the ODIHR. We are not going to conduct any election monitoring.
-Our authorities state their willingness to conduct free and fair elections, which are going to be unprecedented. Do you believe these promises in the current conditions?
-I have heard of all the positive statements. I have worked in Armenia for over 6,5 years. I have been aware of the issues of Armenia for over 12 years now and have gone through several elections. There were cases of frustration in the past? But I hope that the elections will be free and fair. And there are signs which make us believe that these elections will be different. The law-enforcers, police and the prosecutor’s office are conducting certain actions to ensure the fairness of elections. Civic organizations are actively involved, the internet, social networks create great opportunities. Now there are more opportunities and means.
Christopher Anderson, political adviser, US Embassy in Armenia.
– What do you think about creation of this institution in the parliament?
– It is a good initiative that all parties are working together. The civil society is involved in controlling that process as well.
– Such institution has been created out of the parliament as well. What do you think about the possibility that you may take part in the work of this institution?
– We do not have invitation from that institution yet, and the parliament is a state institution and is officially representing the people that have been elected to represent the society. As for the other one, I do not know what will be the situation with it. I want to say that now we are acting as observers. The parties and society of Armenia should have active part in this process.
– Do you believe in the government’s promises that this time the elections will be fair?
– For organizing free and fair elections it is also important how the police forces work, how they relate to calls and complaints. What will be done for this purpose? Will the police and judicial system work to make sure the law is enforced? What is happening before election out of polling stations is important as well. What is happening in polling stations is important too. Now we are working with the law enforcement bodies to make sure that people trust them and call them if needed.
– What is the importance of these elections for Armenia? What is the difference with the previous elections?
– Organizing free and fair elections is very important for our bilateral relations, thus we are watching these elections attentively.