Armenia: CIS observers offer colleagues to join their statement

PanARMENIAN.Net - 239 people are accredited in the CIS Observation Mission. They represent legislative, executive, electoral bodies of Armenia, Byelorussia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kirgizia, Moldova, Russian Federation, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. The CIS Mission also includes representatives of Byelorussia-Russia Parliamentary Union and bodies of the Commonwealth - Inter-Parliamentary Assembly of CIS member-states, the Executive Committee of the Commonwealth of Independent States. Executive Secretary of the Commonwealth, head of CIS Mission Vladimir Rushaylo made this statement to a press conference in Yerevan.



He underlined CIS international observers fulfilled their duties in accordance with the legislation of the Republic of Armenia, they did not interfere in the election process and were guided by the principle of political neutrality towards participants of the electoral process.



"Observers were provided the right to talk with participants of electoral process, representatives of executive bodies. The Headquarters of the CIS Mission held meetings with the Central Electoral Commission, Office of General Prosecutor, Police and the Armenian National Commission on Television and Radio.



Members of the Headquarters exchanged information with the representatives of political parties and their campaign public headquarters, state bodies, which are responsible for preparation and conduction of elections, candidates to the Armenian National Assembly, their proxies," Rushaylo said.



He added the Inter-Parliamentary Assembly of CIS member-states established an informational-consultative center, which allowed observers of the Commonwealth Mission to evaluate the process of campaign fully. During their activity the CIS long-term observers visited all constituencies.



"The CIS Mission worked in an open and public way. It released three informational messages, a press release and an interim report. During the long-term observation the Mission singled out separate shortcomings in organizing campaign and work of commissions. For example, they concerned the state of voters' list, absence of signboards with the number of polling stations and information about the borders of polling stations, about the composition of Precinct Electoral Commissions. Such shortcomings were registered in 9, 10, 16, 25 constituencies, however they were of technical character, they were not large scale and the commissions immediately eliminated them by the offers of observers. During the monitoring the Mission continued the practice of exchanging views on holding the campaign with OSCE long-term observers," the head of CIS Observation Mission underscored.