|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|||||
|
October 15, 2002 For Immediate Release National Citizens’ Initiative Hosts Roundtable on
|
 |
NCI coordinator Hrach Hakobyan in his welcoming remarks queried: “What are elections? If they are a means for people to freely express their will, which must be taken into account by the politicians, then they can be considered as an essential factor in political life. If elections serve as a means for politicians to skillfully come to power or to sustain their authority, then they can be seen as a tool. On the other hand, if elections are just an imitation of the western governmental system imposed on us, then they turn into a ceremonial procedure the results of which are predetermined by the correlation between the power and the levers.”
Hrair Tovmasian, lawyer at the German Technical Cooperation (GTZ) Legal Advice Project, presented a paper on “The Election Legislation of Armenia from the Point of View of Democracy.” He stated: “The election legislation of Armenia, with some reservation, conforms to European standards. The question is how it is exercised in Armenia. We must also stress that a major part of the electorate, given their positions, will be deprived of voting, for example, policemen, firemen, doctors, and patients under medical treatment. The provision depriving the military of a majoritarian representation voting right can be considered as a restriction of a citizen’s right to vote.”
 |
“Interrelations Between the Majoritarian and Proportional Representation Voting Systems in Armenia” was introduced by another GTZ representative, attorney Vardan Poghosian. “In a country of an authoritarian regime, where elections are of a formal nature, and do not provide a fair competition, and where there is a 70% possibility that those in power will win, it is senseless to debate whether preference should be given to the majoritarian or the proportional voting system. In Armenia we have neither an authoritarian nor a democratic system. This is why on the threshold of elections, we still cherish some hope for fair elections,” he concluded.
Avetik Ishkhanian, chairman of Armenia’s Helsinki Committee, in his intervention on “Responsibilities of the State During the Elections” particularly stressed: “The power-state so far has been responsible for the elections in Armenia. Today the opposition and the people demand the power-state to carry out free and fair elections. But those who are currently responsible for the elections can be called ‘clan-power.’ The members of this clan are capable of all kinds of election falsifications.”
The formal deliberations were followed by questions, answers and informative debate among the former CEC chairman Khachatur Bezirjian; national parliamentarian Arshak Sadoyan, Constitutional Court Justice Alvina Gulumian; political scientist Stepan Grigorian; Yerevan State University lecturer Gayane Markosian; “Mtavorakan Haiastan” (Intellectual Armenia) party leader Hovhannes Tokmajian; president of “Edward Yegorian” strategic research center Rubik Yegorian; chairman of the “MP club” Ruben Torosian; Liberal-Democratic party leader Vigen Khachatrian; Judge of the First Instance Court of “Center” Community Pargev Ohanian; “Nation-State” party leader Samvel Shahinian; NCI councilmembers Hrach Tatevian and Sos Gimishian; Armenian Center for National and International Studies legal and political affairs analyst Stepan Safarian; and many others.
The National Citizens’ Initiative is a public nonprofit association founded in December 2001 by Raffi Hovannisian, his colleagues, and fellow citizens with the purpose of realizing the rule of law and overall improvements in the state of the state, society, and public institutions. The National Citizens’ Initiative is guided by a Coordinating Council, which includes individual citizens and representatives of various public, scientific, and educational establishments. Five commissions on Law and State Administration, Socioeconomic Issues, Foreign Policy, Spiritual and Cultural Challenges, and the Youth constitute the vehicles for the Initiative’s work and outreach.
For further information, please call
|
|
