Armenian authorities want to form pro-government observer missions  during elections - opposition MP

ArmInfo. The amendments to the Electoral Code proposed by deputies of the ruling Civil Contract faction have only one goal: to establish pro-government election observation missions. Artsvik Minasyan, secretary of the opposition  Armenia faction, told reporters this on January 23.

According to him, the very appearance of the bill and its hasty  discussion in the National Assembly came as a surprise to the  parliamentary opposition. "We only learned about the National  Assembly Council meeting agenda last night from the parliament's  website, which stated that a council meeting would be convened this  morning to discuss amendments to the Electoral Code. This is yet  another example of the authorities' brazen and arrogant behavior.  Faction leader Seyran Ohanyan and I attended the council meeting and  noted that such an important issue should not be passed with such  disgusting speed and without proper discussion. They held no  discussions with the Venice Commission or with previously operating  observation missions-in short, with those who provide impartial  assessments. None of them were notified of this, nor was the issue  discussed with the opposition," Minasyan said.

He added that with the adoption of the document, any statements by  representatives of the observation missions that contain criticism of  the authorities will have serious consequences. Moreover, if it is  discovered that the funding of these missions or foundations has any  connection to any political force, their participation in the  electoral process will be suspended. Let us recall that today the  National Assembly of Armenia introduced amendments to the Electoral  Code in the first reading.