Appeal to European Union Institutions and Authorities of Armenia. Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum

EPCSF’s “Democracy, human rights and good governance” 1st Working Group's statement on the parliamentary elections held in Armenia and the upcoming presidential elections.

The first working group of Eastern Partnership (EP) Civil Society Forum (CSF) expresses its concerns over the parliamentary elections held in Armenia on May 6, 2012 and over the decline of public trust towards the institution of elections.

Both domestic and international observers recorded many facts of illegal activities. Election processes overshadowed such violations, as the widespread distribution of bribes, pressure on employees, intimidation of voters in a number of regions, use of healthcare institutions as administrative resources, engagement of teenagers in campaigns.

The machinations of voter lists also had a serious impact on the whole electoral process, which included mass registration of voters from remote communities in nearby districts. As a rule, the law-enforcement services didn’t respond properly to these alerts and the statements on election violations.

In spite of the fact that TV coverage of the campaign has been more open and equitable compared to previous election cycles and the drastic reduction of the cases of violence and ballot stuffing, the above-mentioned flaws, nonetheless, creates certain doubts about the legitimacy of the government.

We call on the Armenian authorities to demonstrate accountability towards the frustration of the electorate and the issue of providing conditions for free choice of citizens. Closer to the upcoming presidential elections it’s necessary to immediately undertake certain measures to tackle these challenges, more specifically:

1. Provide the right to change the government through elections, which has not been done since 1990,
2. Exclude the use of administrative resources for the benefit of certain political forces by strengthening civilian control over this phenomenon,
3. Forbid vote buying, identify and punish the bribe-givers and the political parties, which conduct such illegal activities, including the cases, which are labeled as “charity,”
4. Lift the ban on publication of lists of voters after elections,
5. Separate the business and politics, not to allow officials, who run businesses, hold posts in the national and local government.

June 6, 2012

Brussels