Long-term observers of International expert Center for Electoral Systems (ICES) held a working consultation with leadership of the Central Electoral Commission (CEC) of Armenia and began a series of meetings with presidential candidates.

The meetings with the candidates, as well as heads of state institutions, in charge of the legal conduction of the electoral process, will be held next week.

Journalists included in the ICES observer group call attention to the large number of media outlets on the opposition candidates, particularly following Jan 31 assassination attempt on presidential hopeful Paruyr Hayrikyan.

In this respect, the mission hails the balanced media approach to the occurrence, as well as candidate Hayrikyan’s decision not to delay the polls.

Large number of publications reflected on the health condition of candidate Andrias Ghukasyan, who continues his hunger strike, hopeful Aram Harutyunyan’s statement expressing readiness to withdraw candidacy after one-day hunger strike, as well as Arman Melikyan’s remarks slamming the electoral bribe his mother was offered.

In conclusion, ICES mission states

- media demonstrates transparency as to the coverage of electoral processes

- media coverage reflects on the voters’ mood

- Armenian media doesn’t discriminate between the presidential candidates, despite their large number