Second interim report of ICES observers to be presented in Yerevan on Feb 15

YEREVAN, January 15. /ARKA/. The second interim report of observers from International expert Center for Electoral Systems (ICES) will be presented in Yerevan on February 15, says the center’s website.

The ICES made an official application to Armenia’s Central Electoral Commission on December 20 to get its 35 experts accredited for observing Armenia’s presidential elections. The mission will be headed by ICES president, deputy of Knesett Alexander Tsinker. Among other members of the mission are international experts from 10 countries of European Union, the USA and Israel.

The ICES mission will consist of three functional groups – political (members of the European national parliaments, political scientists), legal (lawyers and former diplomats) and mass media (political reporters and mass media representatives).

The long-term observers’ group comprises of eight experts and is expected to start its work on February 1, 2013. The group will have meetings with candidates for president, heads of parliament factions, members of electoral commissions and Armenian mass media.

The short-term mission to observe the voting process, the counting of votes and the summarizing of the results will arrive in Armenia on February 14.

According to ICES mission, in general, the preparation and the start of the election campaign is satisfactory.

Armenian presidential elections are scheduled for February 18. The elections campaign will start January 21 and will continue till February 16, 24:00.

Eight nominees have been registered to run for Armenia’s president: current president Serzh Sargsyan, former prime minister and leader of Freedom party Hrant Bagratyan, former foreign minister and head of Heritage party Raffi Hovhannisyan, famous Soviet dissident and leader of National Self-Determination party Paruyr Hayrikyan, ex foreign minister of Karabakh Arman Melikyan, political scientist and head of Radio Hay Andrias Ghukasyan, philologist Vardan Sedrakyan and leader of National Consent party Aram Harutinyan. –0--