Republican party not to back draft Electoral Code: statement

Armenia’s Republican Party has issued a statement over its position toward the amendments in the Electoral Code, saying that it is not going to back it due to certain factors.

“As it is known, succeeded electoral reforms demand wide discussions to encourage participation of public and political forces in the process of reforms and in the final the adoption. Only the involvement of all political forces guarantees political consensus but the way the discussions were conducted and its presentation to the NA testify that the government has adopted diametrically other policy,” the statement says.

Among the factors, the party stressed that the task group set in the parliament consisting of representatives of 4 factions yet in August summed up proposals and sent them to the Armenian government. "Being submitted with the full consent of all the factions, including Yelk, the presented proposals where fully ignored by the government," the statement says.

Another factor is the official submission of the draft law to the NA on October 17 which meant that the factions had just two working days for getting familiarized with it.

The other circumstance is that the bill was hastily submitted not only to the NA but the Venice Commission as well which means that the institution did not have opportunity to conduct official discussion and give conclusion.

The regulations offered by the bill are expected to be applied at upcoming snap elections. “Being for the idea of conduction snap parliamentary elections in general, we have always spoke against the hastiness with which an attempt is being made to conduct them by the end of 2018. Conduction of elections in two months under the pressure of the executive power deprives parties of anopportunity to reclassify under the regulations of new code and review the strategy,” the statement says, adding that the Venice Commission as well noted that the hastiness even in conditions of absence of political manipulations leaves an impression that nevertheless they exist. To avoid them, the Commission offers the new electoral system enter into force after a year from its adoption.

“On the basis of the above mentioned the Republican party states that it is against the draft law,” the statement concluded.