Armenia: Political forces react to election results

PanARMENIAN.Net - While a couple of parties have accepted the results of snap parliamentary elections in Armenia, most political forces have not recognized the results of the polls, according to statements provided by them.

Caretaker Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s Civil Contract party won 53.92% of the vote, while Hayastan (Armenia) bloc headed by second President Robert Kocharyan secured 21.4% of the ballots. "I Have Honor" bloc too will get seats in the parliament.

While Prosperous Armenia refrained from giving assessments until all the violations were investigated, Hayastan (Armenia) bloc, Free Homeland Alliance, the Democratic Party of Armenia, Awakening National Christian Party, 5165 National Conservative Movement Party and the National Democratic Pole did not accept the results of elections.

According to them, elections were marred by violations and the use of administrative resources by the ruling authorities. Hayastan bloc headed by former President Robert Kocharyan has further signaled a possibility of challenging the results with the Constitutional Court.

According to the "I Have honor" bloc, "going to the polls was wrong in the post-war situation, but it's even more wrong to put the entire burden of failure on the society."

Bright Armenia party, meanwhile, said they "respect the decision of the people and wish the forces that made it to the parliament productive work." A statement from the party said Bright Armenia is now preparing for the local elections in the fall.

Republic party too said they respect the decision of the voters and said that those who secured seats in the parliament should work for the benefit of the country and statehood.

Earlier, international observers from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA), and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) assessed the snap elections positively.