Representatives of Armenia's parliamentary parties have met with members of the Venice Commission and OSCE /ODIHR delegation to discuss the draft amendments and alterations to the Election Code of Armenia.
Armen Martirosyan, deputy head of the Heritage Party, told ArmInfo's correspondent that together with his teammates he informed the European experts of the need to add to the draft Election Code provisions requiring publication of electoral registers after elections, installation of video surveillance cameras at polling stations, and introduction of a new system of voting based on fingerprints. Levon Zurabyan, the head of the Armenian National Congress (ANC) party faction, said ANC also made similar suggestions at the meeting with European delegates. He assured ArmInfo that the European experts welcomed the suggestions. "This inspires with hope that the Venice Commission may recommend inclusion of these provisions in the draft Election Code," Zurabyan said.
As for ARF Dashnaktsutyun Party, it is expected to voice the issue of the post-voting publication of electoral registers. "Once, the Venice Commission made a negative assessment of this idea. Eventually, the Constitutional Court of Armenia banned publication of electoral registers after voting. Now, the authorities refer to that assessment of the Venice Commission and refuse to accept the given suggestion of the opposition," said Armen Rustamyan, the head of ARFD faction. Meantime, he said, this given suggestion will help to prevent voting fraud.
The draft amendments and alterations to the Election Code have been submitted to the Parliament and the opposition has already made a negative resolution on the amendments. The opposition is mainly discontented at the proposals restricting the activity of journalists and observers during elections. The document provides for Armenia's shifting to the proportional system of the parliamentary elections.