YEREVAN. – The high transparency level of Armenia’s electoral process proves that the country’s electoral bodies have nothing to hide, the International expert Center for Electoral Systems (ICES) observer Mateusz Piskorski said during a press conference on Monday.    

According to him, the level of holding the country’s parliamentary elections was consistent with Central European standards, and it showed the developed political system in Armenia.   

He stressed that the development level of the country’s political party systems is one of the highest among the post-Soviet expanse.  

Piskorski noted that the active voter turnout likewise bespeaks the democratic development level and the citizens’ confidence in the electoral processes.   

In response to the question as to Armenia’s electoral process as compared with that of Azerbaijan, Mateusz Piskorski noted that he cannot make a comparison, since the state of affairs is extremely different.   

“We are speaking about Armenia as a democratic country,” he stated, and added that an observation can be conducted solely in democratic countries. 

In his turn, ICES observer Johann Stalder noted that Armenia’s parliamentary elections were the most covered electoral process.

“I had never been in an election where there were so many observers,” he stated.

Stalder also stressed that he was pleasantly surprised at Armenia’s democratic progress.

To note, the Central Electoral Commission has issued the preliminary results of Sunday’s National Assembly elections.

The figures are as follows:

Republican Party of Armenia – 44.05% (663,066 votes), Prosperous Armenia Party – 30.20% (454,684 votes), Armenian National Congress – 7.10% (106,910 votes), Heritage Party – 5.79% (87,095 votes), ARF Dashnaktsutyun Party – 5.73% (86, 296 votes), Orinats Yerkir Party – 5.49% (82,690 votes), Communist Party of Armenia – 1.06% (15,933 votes), Democratic Party of Armenia – 0.37% (5,633 votes), United Armenians Party – 0.20% (3, 080 votes).

For entering the 131-seat National Assembly (Parliament), the parties must poll over 5% of votes, while blocs - over 7%.