INTERIM REPORT NO. 2
- EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
• The election administration appears well-prepared to conduct the 19 February presidential election. On 9 February, the deadline for candidates to withdraw from the contest expired; no candidate withdrew. Nine candidates will participate in the contest.
• All 1,923 Precinct Election Commissions (PECs) have been formed to conduct polling on election day. OSCE/ODIHR observers reported that the PEC training sessions, which began on 30 January, were well conducted.
• PECs have eight members, five of which are appointed by political parties. The large majority of the persons elected as PEC Chairs were appointed through a ‘nomination chain’ by the President, the ruling Republican Party and its coalition partner Prosperous Armenia.
• The Central Election Commission (CEC) will publish updated voter lists on its website three days before the election and will announce the number of voters registered at each PEC.
• Official public service announcements on the elections were aired on television. The CEC Chair held a press conference in which he reassured voters of their freedom of choice and the secrecy of the vote; the Ombudsman made a statement against ‘vote buying’, and the Prosecutor General made a statement highlighting legal penalties for election violations.
• The campaign rhetoric has at times been acrimonious. Eight candidates held campaign rallies. Most passed off peacefully, but unrest occurred at two of Levon Ter-Petrossian’s events. The OSCE/ODIHR EOM is aware of five incidents in which party or candidate premises have been damaged either through vandalism, shooting or possible arson.
• The serving Prime Minister, Serzh Sargsyan, is actively campaigning. In the regions, OSCE/ODIHR observers reported difficulties in distinguishing accurately between Serzh Sargsyan’s campaign and the work of local self-government, partly because some mayors are actively campaigning for Mr Sargsyan.
• Media monitoring indicates that the amount of political and election-related information has increased significantly from 21 January (start of official campaign period) onwards. On most of the media, the candidates’ total coverage time was more equitable than in the previous reporting period. However, the coverage of Levon Ter-Petrossian in various broadcast media contained many critical remarks, while the other eight candidates were presented in a generally positive or neutral manner.
• To date, 18 formal complaints were filed with the CEC. On 1 February, the Constitutional Court received a petition by a candidate, Arman Melikyan, which it dismissed. On 8 February, the Court agreed to hear a petition by Levon Ter-Petrossian claiming that biased media coverage constituted “obstacles … that make his further participation in the election impossible”.
PLANE ON FIRE
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On 14 February at about 04.19 a.m. the plane “CRG 100” belonging to “BelAvia” caught fire when it was going to fly. Only the 3 members of the staff and 18 passengers were on the plane. ...THEY WERE ON THE BURNING PLANE
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The list of the passengers who were on CRJ-100 plane belonging to Belarus “BelAvia” Company was published.
Agapov Ashot,
Kirakosyan Azat,
Mamyan Andranik,
Hambardzumyan Salbi,
Tevanyan ...PASSENGERS ARE IN STRESS
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5 passengers of the plane, which was carrying out Yerevan-Minsk flight from “Zvartnots” airport in Yerevan, were taken to “Armenia” medical center. As Arthur Safaryan, the head of the ...CANADIANS WILL ALSO PARTICIPATE IN INVESTIGATION
The RA President Robert Kocharyan convened an extraordinary meeting in regard with the air crash of the plane of “Belavia” Company carrying out Yerevan-Minsk flight. The Head of the President’s Administrations, ...AGAIN FIRE IN THE MINISTRY
On 13 February at 18.25 p.m. information was received that works to extinguish the fire in the RA Justice Ministry were terminated. But at 21.14 p.m. information was received that the building was again ...ARONYAN AMONG FAVORITES
“Morelia – Linares” chess championship is to be launched tomorrow. The Armenian grand master Levon Aronyan will participate in the championship for the third time. Levon won in this championship in ...INTERIM REPORT ON MONITORING THE COVERAGE OF PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS-2008 BY BROADCAST MEDIA OF ARMENIA
The coverage of presidential elections-2008 by 8 broadcast media of Armenia is monitored by Yerevan Press Club with the participation of “TEAM” Research Center and with the financial assistance of the ...OBSERVERS TO ARRIVE
A 27-member delegation of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), headed by John Prescott (United Kingdom, SOC), will visit Armenia from 18 to 20 February 2008 to observe the presidential ...IS ARF OPPOSITION OR POWER?
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Armen Rustamyan, Head of the ARF pre-election headquarters, member of the ARF Supreme Body met with the NGOs, representing women, since the ARF presidential candidate and member of the ...ARAM KARAPEYAN SUPPORTS LEVON TER-PETROSYAN
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Today the “New Times” party announced that the party supported Levon Ter-Petrosyan. The decision was made during the session of the party’s board based on the voting results.
The announcement ...ARTHUR BAGHDSARYAN REFUSED TO COMMENT
“Bisharyan has already explained”, said Arthur Baghdasaryan after the meeting with doctors, avoiding any comment on the announcement, allegedly the latter had a mutual agreement with Serge Sargsyan, ...HE WILL VANISH
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Today the RA First President, presidential candidate Levon Ter-Petrosyan continued his pre-election meetings in Agarak, Meghri and Kapan towns. During the meeting with Meghri citizens ...ANOTHER CAR RELEASED
One of the cars which was arrested in Levon Ter-Petrosyan headquarter and belonged to the member of the “Republican” party Khachik Simonyan was released. The car belonging to the Head of the “Republican” ...INTERIM REPORT NO. 2
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
• The election administration appears well-prepared to conduct the 19 February presidential election. On 9 February, the deadline for candidates to withdraw from the contest expired; ...
SIRUSHO AND ARAME RECOGNISED THE BEST SINGERS
“YEREVAN MAYOR IGNORES PRIME MINISTER’S DECISION”
WILL SERGE SARGYAN MAKE A DIGNIFIED STEP?
RAFFI HOVANNISSIAN SECONDS LEVON TER-PETROSSIAN
MANUK GASPARIAN’ SON BEATEN / VIDEO /
PLANE ON FIRE
“OCTOBER 27” CASE UNDAMAGED
VAHAN HOVHANNISSIAN ADDRESSES PRESENTEES
ARMENIAN HOCKEY TEAM OFF TO BOSNIA
TER-PETROSSIAN APPLIES TO CC
- 0 Feast Day of Jesus Christ's Presentation to the Temple.
- 1882 Birth of philologist Haykanoosh Marrk. She died in 1966.
- 1911 Constantinople's Armenian Patriarch Hovhannes Arsharuni, in a letter to Turkey's Minister of Justice, informs him about the illegal actions of the Turkish officials in the Armenian provinces, including murders and confiscation of property.
- 1921 The mobile village theater, led by Amo Kharazyan, starts its activity in Gharakeeleessa (Vanadzor).
- 1995 The CIS Media Agencies Directors' Committee is created in the course of the CIS Inter- Assembly Meeting.
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