Armenian authorities agree to discuss pre-term elections with ANC

PanARMENIAN.Net - The meeting of working groups in the framework of dialogue between representatives of authorities and oppositional Armenian National Congress completed in Yerevan, according to David Harutyunyan, head of coalition group.

Harutyunyan said that the agenda of dialogue included two issues, first, pre-term Presidential and Parliamentary elections , provision of transparency and legacy of election process; and second, the issue of drafting canons for ensuring political competition.

The next meeting of working groups is due on August 4.

Earlier the ANC representatives offered the agenda of the dialogue, including a range of issues.

First and foremost, Armenian oppositionists consider it vital to hold pre-term Presidential elections in October 2011, and afterwards pre-term Parliamentary elections according to the specified schedule.

Before that, ANC representatives offer to take measures securing legacy of elections, that is, to form Central Election Committee as well as subordinate commissions by state which will be responsible for holding election, being a guarantee of legacy of the overall election process.

During Parliamentary elections the opposition offers to rule out majority system of elections and increase free translation envisaged for elections at least five times, programs are to be shown mainly within 20:00pm to 24:00pm, while prices for paid translation must not exceed prices for business advertisement; to provide civil control over making up election lists in military units; to avoid re-election to put mark on electors’ hands; to set video cameras near polling station and at entrance shooting the whole process of elections; to invite 2000 observers from Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) /OSCE ensuring presence of one international observer at each polling station.

Besides, ANC representatives suggested a number of measures designed to raise efficiency of the dialogue with the authorities. Particularly, they consider that these meetings must be streamed live or Public Television of Armenia must allow ANC delegation at least 30 minutes for presenting their positions to public to ensure equal conditions of propaganda. Also, they consider significant to remove a ban on transmission of ANC rallies through Public as well as other TV channels. Law enforcement bodies should stop creating obstacles before rallies. .

The first meeting between the coalition group and ANC was held on July 18.

The composition of ANC delegation to negotiate with the authorities included ANC coordinator Levon Zurabyan, representative of the central bureau David Shahnazaryan, a member of ANC economic committee, the head of ANC structure in Malatya Vahagn Khachatryan, People’s Party of Armenia secretary Felix Khachatryan and deputy head of Armenian National Movement Samvel Abrahamyan

Coalitional working group formed to participate in coalition-opposition talks, included: David Harutyunyan (Republican Party of Armenia), Gagik Minasyan (Republican Party of Armenia), Naira Zohrabyan (Prosperous Armenia Party), Vardan Bostanjyan (Prosperous Armenia Party), Mher Shahgeldyan (Orinats Yerkir Party) and Khachik Harutyunyan (Orinats Yerkir Party).