Armen Martirosyan: US State Department's report only partially demonstrate the flaws in Armenia's public administration system

 The Country Report on Human Rights Practices for 2015 issued by the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor demonstrates that 
Armenia badly needs legitimate power, Deputy Chairman of Heritage Party Armen Martirosyan has told ArmInfo.  

He says that the provisions reflected in the report are true but they demonstrate the flaws in the public administration system of Armenia only partially. It is no secret that the ruling Republican Party of 
Armenia (RPA) used the administrative resource for the party's interests, he says. Martirosyan does not downplay the importance of such international reports but he thinks "we should settle our 
topical problems ourselves, because the Armenian voters see excessive use of the administrative resource and electoral fraud in a non- stop regime". 

Martirosyan does not know how much such reports will influence the political culture of the Armenian establishment. "One thing is clear: such reports affect the international image of Armenia, considerably 
weakening Armenia's foreign positions," he says, adding that despite the conclusions made in the report, the US will keep cooperating with the Armenian authorities. He stresses that Armenian people should 
hold protests and demand justice and protection of their rights. They should try to change the power in the country, he says.      

To note, the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor has issued Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2015. The part concerning Armenia says the most significant human 
rights problems during the year in Armenia were officials' use of government resources to maintain the dominance of the ruling RPA, use of economic and political power by the country's elite to enrich 
supporters and to corrupt the law enforcement and judicial systems, and limited judicial independence. "During the December 6 constitutional referendum, local and international observers, members 
of civil society, and journalists reported witnessing numerous types of electoral violations, including use of administrative resources, multiple voting, ballot-box stuffing, and the intimidation of 
commission members and observers by officials," the Report says.