U.S. Ambassador to Armenia John Heffern hopes that the ruling party in Armenia and the other political forces will avoid voter bribery and use of the administrative resource at the upcoming elections to the Elders' Council of Yerevan. The ambassador made such statement in an interview with a local newspaper "168 Zham."
The U.S. diplomat thinks that true competition implying consistent opposition and the authorities avoiding use of the administrative resource is an important component of elections in any democratic state.
Ambassador Heffern said that at the past presidential election the opposition leader Raffi Hovannisian made a good showing. The diplomat hopes for a peaceful political struggle also at the upcoming municipal elections.
To recall, March 21 was deadline for registration of political forces and their candidates for the May 5 elections to the Elders' Council of Yerevan. Six parties and a union have submitted their party lists to run to the Elders' Council of Yerevan: Republican Party of Armenia, Prosperous Party of Armenia, Orinats Yerkir, Armenian National Congress, Mission, ARF Dashnaktsutyun, and "Barev Yerevan" Union. Political parties will fight for 65 seats at the Elders' Council. The election campaign started on April 7. The elections will be held on May 5. May 4 is a say of "silence" when campaign is prohibited. By preliminary data, 261 observers will be following the elections.