OSCE Office in Yerevan supports publications on elections

YEREVAN, 26 March 2006 - The electoral process in Armenia, as well as the corresponding legislation and its practical implementation during the 12 May parliamentary elections are the focus of two new publications presented in Yerevan today.

The publications were prepared by a group of experts from the NGO Democracy in co-operation with the Armenian Central Electoral Commission, and published with financial support from the OSCE Office in Yerevan and the Italian Government.

"The importance of proper education and training for election officials is crucial for ensuring professionally administered elections," said Ambassador Vladimir Pryakhin, the Head of the OSCE Office.

"The new publications will be useful not only for professionals involved in the electoral process, but also for voters in general."

Garegin Azaryan, the Chairman of the Central Electoral Commission, added: "I believe the manuals will help all those involved in the electoral process to fulfill their functions in line with the Armenian legislation, and will contribute to improvement of election administration."

The first publication, a guide for Precinct Election Commission (PEC) members, will be used during training courses organized by the Central Electoral Commission with the assistance of the International Foundation for Election Systems prior to elections. It provides the necessary information on the functions of PEC members, as well as the rights and responsibilities of all sides involved in the electoral process.

The second publication provides a comprehensive analysis of electoral legislation and its application. It also introduces recommendations on the settlement of electoral disputes in line with the existing legislation, and describes potential conflict situations during elections, and provides advice on how to solve them within the limits of the existing election procedures.

The two manuals have a circulation of 20,000 copies each.