Armenia`s Deputy FM, OSCE/ODIHR Director General discuss  parliamentary elections

ArmInfo. Armenia's Deputy Foreign Minister Robert Abisoghomonyan received Maria Telalyan, Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR). The outcomes of the parliamentary elections in the  Republic of Armenia and assessments of the ODIHR observation mission  were discussed.

According to the Armenian Foreign Ministry's press service, special  attention was paid to the free, fair, transparent, and democratic  conduct of the elections.

Abisoghomonyan expressed gratitude for the work of the OSCE/ODIHR  observation mission, emphasizing that the Armenian side had created  all the conditions for the mission to carry out its functions without  interruption. He also emphasized Armenia's readiness to further  expand constructive cooperation with the ODIHR, aimed at further  improving Armenia's electoral system.

Recall, the OSCE/ODIHR statement on the Armenian elections noted that  the election campaign in Armenia was highly confrontational, marked  by incendiary rhetoric and accusations of vote-buying and other  violations of electoral law. This resulted in numerous criminal cases  against opposition candidates and activists, which discouraged many  opposition supporters from actively participating in the campaign.   The organization noted pressure on public servants to attend ruling  party events, as well as recently introduced social and economic  measures, which raised concerns about equal opportunities for  participation in the election campaign. The organization also noted  the biased work of the Armenian Public Television.