Davit Harutyunyan: Armenian opposition is never pleased

 May 24, 2011 - 14:59 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - The Chairman of the Armenian National Assembly standing committee on state and legal affairs, Davit Harutyunyan, said that the criticism of the new Electoral Code by Dashnaktsutyun party is a political act.

“Those are merely political statements,” he told a press conference in Yerevan.

According to Harutyunyan, 3 of 4 opposition’s proposals were not included in the Electoral Code, particularly, the proportional system of parliament formation, as well as the publication of rolls after elections. As he said, Venice Commission also came out against the publication, as it would violate the principle of voting privacy.

Harutyunyan supposes that the proportional system of parliament formation would estrange deputies from their constituencies.

He emphasized that following one of the opposition’s proposals, the government allowed opposition representatives to make video recording of electoral commissions’ activity in order to avoid accusations of violations and falsifications.

“Armenian opposition is never pleased,” he noted, smiling.

Harutyunyan stressed that the purpose of new Electoral Code is the enhancement of public trust towards elections, and that it can help prevent possible violation during future elections. “Even in those countries, where elections take place without violations, the electoral legislation is reviewed from time to time,” he noted, adding that about 90 amendments to the Code were made.