Candidates Vote, Alleged Violations Reported
At 4pm in the afternoon, candidates for today’s presidential election have already cast their votes. Ironically, the incumbent but outgoing president, Robert Kocharian, voted in the morning at the polling station off Yerevan’s central Mashtots Avenue which presidential candidates Serge Sargsyan and Levon Ter-Petrossian cast their ballots a few hours later.
The polling station was obviously overcrowded with journalists, photographers and film crews. After a slow start in Komitas, turnout seemed high with 11 percent of eligible voters casting their ballots by 11am. As of 2pm, RFE/RL reports that 36.5 percent had voted.
“Every election is a test from which we must emerge stronger,” Kocharian told reporters after casting his ballot in central Yerevan. “I believe that these elections will be just like that.”
“In terms of strengthening democracy, we will make further serious progress,” he said, expressing hope that the election will not require a second round of voting.
Prime Minister Serzh Sarkisian, widely seen as the election favorite, would not say if he too expects to avoid a run-off with an opposition candidate. “I believe that the most important thing is not the number of rounds,” he said. “The most important thing is to end the elections today and to have a lot of trust in the election results.”
[…]
“I will win in the first round,” said Ter-Petrosian. He claimed at the same time that the polling has already been marred by serious violations reported by his campaign offices across the country.
“According to my information, very dirty things are happening,” said Ter-Petrosian. “There are lots of concrete facts.”
However, while violations reported nationwide have yet to be proven, there have been cases of violence. Violations are also being reported by candidates other than the governmental favorite, Serge Sargsyan. ArmeniaNow reports that Ter-Petrossian supporters have been beaten in Abovian allegedly by the bodyguards of oligarch MP Gagik Tsarukian.
The online publication also reports that Ter-Petrossian’s Yerevan campaign manager, another oligarch, Khachatur Sukiasian, has been ferrying in voters to a polling station and is accused of “attempting to interfere with the work of election officials.” Of course, reports of vote bribes are being reported nationwide although it remains to be seen if any evidence can be presented this time round.
In central Yerevan, however, things seemed calm as of two hours ago with long lines of voters queuing up inside polling stations. Again, some problems remain in so much that few observers and proxies are wearing badges, but otherwise, ballot boxes are turned away from the electoral commissions facilitating a more private vote than in previous elections.
Given that the sun has now come out, one would expect a greater number of voters to turn out in the next few hours. Which means, of course, I should get out there again too.
Photos: © Onnik Krikorian / Oneworld Multimedia 2008
- Published:
- 02.19.08 / 5pm by Onnik
- Category:
- Armenia, Armenia Presidential Election 2008, Campaign, Candidates, Democracy, Election Day, Proxies, Voting
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