Monday, September 19 2016 17:22

ArmInfo.Pre-election situation in Echmiadzin has demonstrated that the Armenian authorities punish those who do not play by their rules, Deputy  Chairman of Heritage Party Armen Martirosyan told ArmInfo's correspondent commenting on the results of the elections to self government bodies that were held yesterday. 

According to him no one expected from the Republican Party of Armenia  fair and legitimate elections as such a behavior is not in style of  the ruling regime. "The regions have turned into feudalistic  provinces where the "local feudal lords" decide the results of the  elections, consequently it is silly to expect any democracy",  Martirosyan noted. He also added that no matter how oppositionist are  people of Gyumri and Vanadzor the ruling regime will not allow them  to express their free will on the upcoming local government elections  on October 2. 

Member of Prosperous Armenia faction Mikael Melkumyan stated that in  overall his party is satisfied with the results of the elections, as  it had success in Masis and Artashat. "There are problems in all the  fields, caused by the authorities, consequently elections are not an  exclusion", he noted. At the same time the politician considers that  frauds and violations voiced by the observers are the results of  lawlessness. "Even if the frauds are not system ones, local officials  use them realizing that they will not be punished for that", he  stressed. At the same time Melkumyan added that he expects heated  race in Gyumri and Vanadzor, where serious change of climate is  noticed. 

Secretary of ARF Dashnaktsutyun Aghvan Vardanyan considers that  several non-clear incidents were registered during the elections,  however he avoided calling them frauds. At the same time member of  Dashnaktsutyun stated that ARFD has fully accomplished its target  during the elections. "We are satisfied with the results of  elections, as our candidates have won in numerous polling stations",  he noted. 

To note, numerous violations were reported as the first stage of  elections to the local self-government is over in 37 communities in  Armenia. In particular, Citizen Observer and Transparency  International report various cases of violations during voting, such  as ballot-stuffing, voting outside polling stations, frightening of  voters, queues, multiple voting, obstruction of the activity of  journalists and observers.

In the town of Etchmiadzin, the passions ran so high that one of the  candidates was kidnapped reportedly by the incumbent mayor's  supporters. It is noteworthy that the incumbent mayor Karen Grigoryan  is the son of MP, General Mavel Grigoryan. A criminal case was  initiated on the fact. The beaten candidate for mayor is still in  hospital.

To note, turnout was 49% throughout the republic. Overall results of  the elections are not known yet.