CEC denies in both cases
The struggle between the two candidates representing the Republican Party of Armenia (HHK) at precinct N 19 in Armavir province is already intensifying before the launch of the election campaign. The representatives are General Seyran Saroyan and former deputy Hakob Hakobyan.
During its special session today, the Central Electoral Commission examined Hakobyan's appeal in which Hakobyan claimed that Seyran Saroyan had not been residing in the Republic of Armenia for the past five years and demanded denying Saroyan's registration. As a precedent, in his appeal Hakobyan mentioned the fact that the police had already denied the provision of a reference of permanent residence to Armenian National Congress (HAK) representative Khachatur Sukiasyan and member of the "Country of Law" Party (OEK) Eduard Madatyan. The CEC unanimously decided that the appeal wasn't addressed to the CEC.
Hakob Hakobyan's appeal was also addressed to the Department of Passports of the RA Police to determine whether General Saroyan had been permanently residing in Armenia over the past five years or not. At the same time, President of the CEC Tigran Mukuchyan informed that Hakob Hakobyan's appeal might be examined again.
"If the electoral commission of the precinct makes a decision, the party is unsatisfied and if that decision violates the applicant's rights, he or she can exercise the right to appeal to the CEC and the court," said Mukuchyan.
The CEC also discussed the appeal filed by "The Choice is Yours" monitoring organization, which expresses its concern over the fact that the provision stating that observers are not liable for expressing their views on the process and the results of the elections had been removed from the existing Electoral Code.
According to the applicant, that can impede the implementation of an impartial observatory mission. With this notice, the organization asks the CEC to set a legal norm that will guarantee the observers' opportunity to freely express their opinions. The CEC also denied this appeal and explained that the freedom of expressing opinions was a constitutional norm and that its absence in the Electoral Code doesn't restrict that right.
