Armenia criminalizes electoral bribery
30.08.2018,
14:58
The government of Armenia has approved today a package of legislative changes that criminalize electoral bribery.
YEREVAN, August 30. /ARKA/. The government of Armenia has approved today a package of legislative changes that criminalize electoral bribery.
Justice Minister Artak Zeynalyan said the proposed changes relocate this offense from the Code of Administrative Offenses to the Criminal Code. He said the changes provide not only for fines for giving or taking electoral bribes, but also for imprisonment.
He said the changes provide for some exceptions. For instance, campaign materials, for example, items with logos will not be considered as bribes.
"Our government has pledged to ensure free and transparent elections, as well as to increase public confidence in electoral institutions. Representatives of civil society were also involved in the drafting of these changes,’ Zeynalyan said.
According to him, the upcoming elections to the Council of Elders of Yerevan, slated for September 23 are going to be an important exam in this sense.
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said Armenia’s experience of holding elections shows that the people responsible for conduct of elections should not underestimate the creativity of vote riggers.
The government also decided to ask the parliament to convene for extraordinary meeting on September 6 to discuss the proposed changes. -0-
Justice Minister Artak Zeynalyan said the proposed changes relocate this offense from the Code of Administrative Offenses to the Criminal Code. He said the changes provide not only for fines for giving or taking electoral bribes, but also for imprisonment.
He said the changes provide for some exceptions. For instance, campaign materials, for example, items with logos will not be considered as bribes.
"Our government has pledged to ensure free and transparent elections, as well as to increase public confidence in electoral institutions. Representatives of civil society were also involved in the drafting of these changes,’ Zeynalyan said.
According to him, the upcoming elections to the Council of Elders of Yerevan, slated for September 23 are going to be an important exam in this sense.
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said Armenia’s experience of holding elections shows that the people responsible for conduct of elections should not underestimate the creativity of vote riggers.
The government also decided to ask the parliament to convene for extraordinary meeting on September 6 to discuss the proposed changes. -0-
