Newsroom
Armenian elections show improvement over presidential voting, but fail to meet international standards in key areas
YEREVAN 26 May 2003
YEREVAN, 26 May 2003 - Sunday's parliamentary elections in Armenia marked improvement over the recent presidential voting, but failed to meet international standards in several key areas, concluded an international observation mission led by the Parliamentary Assemblies of the OSCE and the Council of Europe, and the OSCE's Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR). The election was marred by a fatal shooting at a polling station on election day.
"After a generally peaceful campaign we have observed an election which represents an improvement in meeting international standards, despite a number of serious incidents and shortcomings during the electoral process", said Giovanni Kessler, the head of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly delegation and special co-ordinator appointed by the OSCE Chairman-in-Office. "However, the low turnout is a clear indication of the lack of voter confidence in the electoral process and political institutions in the country. Enhancing such confidence is the major challenge to the political leadership in Armenia."
"There was undoubted progress towards meeting international standards despite a limited number of reported incidents of a very serious nature", added Lord Russell-Johnston, head of the Council of Europe's Parliamentary Assembly delegation. "I hope that those responsible will be held accountable and that there will be no return to the sense of impunity evident in the recent presidential election."
"While the legislative framework generally provides a basis for democratic elections, Armenia's leadership must demonstrate more determination in order that future elections meet international standards", said Ambassador Robert Barry, head of the OSCE/ODIHR long-term observation mission.
The international observers noted several improvements in comparison with the recent presidential election, particularly with regard to the campaign and the media coverage. However, the observers pointed out that these improvements mirrored a similar development during the previous succession of presidential and parliamentary elections in 1998 and 1999, which also failed overall to comply with international standards. In addition to a generally inadequate performance of the election adminsitration, the mission again observed a number of irregularities during election day, including falsification of results, intimidation of observers, and violations of the secrecy of the ballot during military voting.
The international observation mission stressed that its final conclusion on the extent to which the elections meet international standards will depend on the transparency of the tabulation and announcement of results, and the complaints resolution process.
For further information, please contact:
"After a generally peaceful campaign we have observed an election which represents an improvement in meeting international standards, despite a number of serious incidents and shortcomings during the electoral process", said Giovanni Kessler, the head of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly delegation and special co-ordinator appointed by the OSCE Chairman-in-Office. "However, the low turnout is a clear indication of the lack of voter confidence in the electoral process and political institutions in the country. Enhancing such confidence is the major challenge to the political leadership in Armenia."
"There was undoubted progress towards meeting international standards despite a limited number of reported incidents of a very serious nature", added Lord Russell-Johnston, head of the Council of Europe's Parliamentary Assembly delegation. "I hope that those responsible will be held accountable and that there will be no return to the sense of impunity evident in the recent presidential election."
"While the legislative framework generally provides a basis for democratic elections, Armenia's leadership must demonstrate more determination in order that future elections meet international standards", said Ambassador Robert Barry, head of the OSCE/ODIHR long-term observation mission.
The international observers noted several improvements in comparison with the recent presidential election, particularly with regard to the campaign and the media coverage. However, the observers pointed out that these improvements mirrored a similar development during the previous succession of presidential and parliamentary elections in 1998 and 1999, which also failed overall to comply with international standards. In addition to a generally inadequate performance of the election adminsitration, the mission again observed a number of irregularities during election day, including falsification of results, intimidation of observers, and violations of the secrecy of the ballot during military voting.
The international observation mission stressed that its final conclusion on the extent to which the elections meet international standards will depend on the transparency of the tabulation and announcement of results, and the complaints resolution process.
For further information, please contact:
- Jens-Hagen Eschenbächer, OSCE/ODIHR, Spokesperson, +48-603683122
- Jan Jooren, OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, Press Counsellor, +45-40411641
- Angus Macdonald, Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, +33-630496820