Pashinyan`s ally outlines Armenian authorities` legislative  initiative to restrict  electoral rights of RA citizens

ArmInfo.  Alkhas Ghazaryan, an MP  from the ruling Civil Contract faction, has detailed a  legislative initiative by the Armenian authorities aimed at  restricting the voting rights of citizens of the Republic of Armenia  (RA).

Speaking to journalists in parliament, she acknowledged that the  proposed changes are linked to the country's recent elections held on  June 7. She asserted that the authorities are not pursuing these  changes under ideal circumstances.

 "The bill aims to preserve, as much as possible, the connection that  exists between citizens permanently residing in the Republic of  Armenia and the state. Elections are the fundamental link between the  citizen and the state, through which the citizen sets the rules,  chooses the government, and prepares to work and live with that  government in the Republic of Armenia. Consequently, we are  introducing a regulation whereby a 'permanently residing citizen' is  defined as someone who has lived in the country for at least 183 days  over the past year and whose center of vital interests is Armenia. If  a person spends more than 6 months in the Republic of Armenia, it  means they have vital interests here, pay taxes, work, and are,  therefore, connected," she stated.

It is worth noting that the entire pre-election period for the  parliamentary elections in Armenia was accompanied by allegations by  the Armenian authorities that the Russian Federation had allegedly  sent approximately 100,000 Russian Armenians to their homeland to  participate in the electoral process and support opposition  candidates. No real evidence was presented to support this claim.  Moreover, media polls indicated that the majority of Russian  Armenians who were in Armenia during this period voted for Nikol  Pashinyan's ruling party.