Expert says difference between PACE, ODHIR reports on parliamentary polls deliberate

PanARMENIAN.Net - The Chairman of European Integration NGO slammed deliberate difference between PACE and ODHIR reports on parliamentary poll in Armenia.

As Karen Bekaryan said in an interview with Azg daily, “It would only be natural and logical if the report of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) on the elections to the National Assembly of the RA published on May 25 and the preliminary statement of Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) published on May 7 didn’t differ in any way.”

“There are several arguments for the published documents to be similar. First, the PACE didn’t hold individual observation mission. Second, whatever we call the preliminary report of the ODIHR has been published not only by the ODIHR but also as the report of observation by four structures involving the ODIHR, the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, the European Parliament and the PACE. Consequently, this “conditionally” said ODIHR statement is also the PACE statement. Third, only 25 out of the 349 short-term observers were from the PACE. Thus, even in the quantitative sense there should be no reason for a new or individual opinion.

It should be proper to repeat: it would, definitely, be both logical and natural that the PACE report recorded no or at least no essential differences. However, as it can be seen, the difference is evident. And the most disappointing thing is that a simple difference would somehow sound normal, but a purposefully directed difference creates a distorted, biased, unbalanced picture,” the political expert said.

“You might be aware that Head of the RA NA delegation to the PACE Davit Harutyunyan has come up with a speech in answer to the PACE report. The speech, I believe, comprises a comprehensive review of the report, of its subjective and incomprehensible distortions, and, why not, its deliberate manipulations. Some important factor should be pointed out: Davit Harutyunyan’s report is not just a reply to the report or its flaws, it also comprises definite and quite constructive proposals and if they are implemented, the PACE may further avoid such ridiculous situations.

Nevertheless, I stick to the opinion that it is time to turn our mechanisms of reaction from situational into preventive, and in this sense, I guess, we have much to do,” Bekaryan concluded.

Full text of Karen Bekaryan's interview