Armenia parliamentary elections 'respected fundamental freedoms'

PanARMENIAN.Net - The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) final report on Armenia’s April 2 parliamentary elections noted that fundamental freedoms were generally respected and candidates were able to campaign without restrictions.

Noting an overall lack of public trust in the electoral process, the report, published on Monday, July 10, recommends that authorities and political parties take measures to discourage vote-buying and any form of pressure on citizens to attend campaign events or vote in a particular way.

The report welcomes recent legal reforms and recommends that remaining gaps and ambiguities in the law be addressed.

The report also encourages more accessible and comprehensive voter education materials.

Praising the improved accuracy of voter lists, the report calls on the authorities to continue measures to reduce the number of voters without a complete address.

The removal of burdensome procedures for observer groups to register are among the report’s other recommendations, so as to ensure the full transparency of the electoral process.

Four political forces -- the ruling Republican Party of Armenia, Tsarukyan bloc, Yelk bloc and the Armenian revolutionary Federation - Dashnaktsutyun -- made ot the the parliament.