Transparency International clarifies reasons for changes in election  observation mission activities in Armenia

ArmInfo.The changes aimed at regulating issues related to the activities of election observation missions in Armenia were important and necessary, as stated by Sona Ayvazyan, Executive Director of the Transparency  International Anti-Corruption Center,  at a press conference  titled "What Prevents a Good Electoral Code from Ensuring Democratic Elections."

She noted that the issue of impartial election observation missions  is a pressing concern worldwide, and Armenia is no exception.  However, according to Ayvazyan, this issue has not  been adequately  addressed in the past. According to her, during the Gyumri and  Vagharshapat Council elections, three organizations operating as  public associations or under the guise of election observation  missions were  promoting specific political agendas in favor of  certain candidates or, conversely, working against other political  forces.

"This is a major issue, as it discredits the very idea of election  observation missions. The primary goal of such missions is not for  observers to become proxies for any political force, but to monitor  the legality, transparency, and impartiality of election processes.  In other words, their entire mission is to independently assess the  events during elections," the executive director of Transparency  International clarified.

According to her, the presence of such practices in the country and  the failure to address them in past Armenian election processes raise  doubts about the independence of all election observation missions.  "In this sense, the amendment introduced in the Armenian parliament  regarding observation missions was important. We believe it is  important to establish the necessary foundation to ensure the  impartiality of observation missions," Ayvazyan concluded.

Recall, new amendments to the Electoral Code outline the requirements  for non-governmental organizations registered in the Republic of  Armenia to conduct observation missions during elections  in the  country, as well as the grounds for rejecting applications for  observation mission accreditation and for revoking accreditation.  Opposition MPs are confident that the amendments to the Electoral  Code, proposed by members of the ruling Civil Contract faction, are  intended to encourage the formation of pro- government observer  missions during elections. They pointed to the potential risks,  including the possibility the criticism of authorities by  representatives of observation missions could  have serious  consequences once the amendments are implemented.