Raffi Hovannisian’s campaigners preparing papers for disputing Armenian presidential election results in court
19.02.2013,
18:51
Heritage party leader Raffi Hovannisian, a candidate for presidency in Armenia, intends to dispute the results of the yesterday’s presidential election poll in court.
YEREVAN, February 19. /ARKA/. Heritage party leader Raffi Hovannisian, a candidate for presidency in Armenia, intends to dispute the results of the yesterday’s presidential election poll in court.
His campaigners are preparing papers for appealing to court, Armen Martirosyan, deputy chairman of the party, said today.
It has become known after counting votes in all the 1,988 polling stations that Serzh Sargsyan, the incumbent president, won the election with 861,378 votes or 58.64%, and Raffi Hovannisian scored 539,674 votes or 36.74%.
Martirosyan said that the authorities should admit their defeat and hand the office over to other political parties.
Hovsep Khurshudyan, press secretary of Raffi Hovannisian’s election campaign, on his part, said observers had noticed 121 election irregularities, such as bribery, ballot-stuffing, open voting, which is widespread in provinces, and other fraud.
He also pointed out the usage of ink which disappears from voters’ passports earlier than in 12 hours.
“We have been demanding to replace this ink for many years, but in vane – our demand remains unnoticed,” he said.
Hovannisian’s campaigners have repeatedly alarmed that ink is easily removed with a wet napkin.
Alarm calls come to the media outlets also from other candidates’ campaigners and also from ordinary voters.
Ruben Hakobyan, head of Heritage party faction in the Natinal Assembly, is convinced that if the election wasn’t fraudulent, Raffi Hovannisian would win the election, especially in Shirak province.
“Local authorities in some provinces, especially in Gyumri, noticed widespread public affection for him, and immediately put administrative resources in use to leave him with no room for victory,” he said. -0---
