Statement
Statement by High Representative Catherine Ashton and
Commissioner Štefan Füle on the Parliamentary elections
in Armenia on 6 May 2012
Catherine Ashton, the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security
Policy and Vice-President of the Commission, jointly with Štefan Füle, Commissioner for
Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy, issued the following statement today:
"The European Union takes note of the preliminary results of the parliamentary elections held on 6
May and welcomes the statement of preliminary findings and conclusions of the International
Election Observation Mission on the conduct of elections.
We welcome the efforts by the Armenian authorities to hold these parliamentary elections in a way
which represents progress towards more transparent and competitive elections. However, the
elections also demonstrated the need to address a number of issues in order to fully meet
internationally recognized democratic standards. We encourage the Armenian authorities to
address the shortcomings identified by OSCE/ODIHR as a matter of priority, ahead of the
upcoming presidential elections scheduled for 2013.
At the same time we welcome that six political parties will be represented in the National Assembly.
This is a positive step towards the development of a pluralistic and democratic political culture in
Armenia.
The EU urges all political forces to refrain from unlawful acts and pursue political dialogue. The
constructive dialogue between authorities and the opposition is very important for the consolidation
of stability in the country."
