Ruling party lodges complaint against opposition coalition
06.05.2012,
18:25
YEREVAN, May 6. /ARKA/. The ruling Republican Party of Armenia has lodged a complaint to the Central Electoral Commission against Levon Zurabian, coordinator of the Armenian National Congress, a coalition of radical opposition parties, who accused the Republican Party of machinations saying that ink stamps put on voters’ passports disappear several minutes after they leave polling stations, News Armenia agency reported citing Republican Party deputy chairman Galust Sahakian.
YEREVAN, May 6. /ARKA/. The ruling Republican Party of Armenia has lodged a complaint to the Central Electoral Commission against Levon Zurabian, coordinator of the Armenian National Congress, a coalition of radical opposition parties, who accused the Republican Party of machinations saying that ink stamps put on voters’ passports disappear several minutes after they leave polling stations, News Armenia agency reported citing Republican Party deputy chairman Galust Sahakian.
The stamps meant to prevent fraudulent multiple voting on election day, were supposed to stay intact for at least 12 hours. There were numerous reports fr om parties and voters that the stamps disappeared once they left polling stations.
Central Election Commission chairman, Tigran Mukuchyan, dismissed these concerns saying at a news conference the seals may quickly become invisible only because of their “incorrect use” by local election officials. Mukuchian said the latter should shake ink containers before putting voting stamps on passports.
Galust Sahakian argued that Levon Zurabian’s allegations were a sort of propaganda for his Armenian National Congress.
"Therefore, I have submitted a complaint and demand that the Central Election Commission refer the case to the prosecutors for investigation," he said.
CEC Secretary Armen Smbatian said earlier to reporters that the problem with disappearing stamps occurred only in those polling stations wh ere ink containers had not been shaken. Smbatian said the special ink was manufactured and purchased in the UK.
Eight parties and one electoral bloc are vying for 131 seats in the National Assembly. Ninety of them are contested under the system of proportional representation of political forces. The remaining 41 seats will be distributed in nationwide single-mandate constituencies, with 137 individual candidates running for the parliament under the first-past-the-post system. To enter the National Assembly, political parties need to overcome the 5% threshold. The barrier for alliances is 7%. -0-
The stamps meant to prevent fraudulent multiple voting on election day, were supposed to stay intact for at least 12 hours. There were numerous reports fr om parties and voters that the stamps disappeared once they left polling stations.
Central Election Commission chairman, Tigran Mukuchyan, dismissed these concerns saying at a news conference the seals may quickly become invisible only because of their “incorrect use” by local election officials. Mukuchian said the latter should shake ink containers before putting voting stamps on passports.
Galust Sahakian argued that Levon Zurabian’s allegations were a sort of propaganda for his Armenian National Congress.
"Therefore, I have submitted a complaint and demand that the Central Election Commission refer the case to the prosecutors for investigation," he said.
CEC Secretary Armen Smbatian said earlier to reporters that the problem with disappearing stamps occurred only in those polling stations wh ere ink containers had not been shaken. Smbatian said the special ink was manufactured and purchased in the UK.
Eight parties and one electoral bloc are vying for 131 seats in the National Assembly. Ninety of them are contested under the system of proportional representation of political forces. The remaining 41 seats will be distributed in nationwide single-mandate constituencies, with 137 individual candidates running for the parliament under the first-past-the-post system. To enter the National Assembly, political parties need to overcome the 5% threshold. The barrier for alliances is 7%. -0-
