YEREVAN. – Free elections are the foundation of democracy, Onno Simons, First Advisor of the EU Delegation to Armenia, stated while addressing official opening of the seminar of prosecutors and defense attorneys. 

The EU representative noted that it is the people’s confidence which guarantees the legitimacy of the authorities. That is to say, the election fraud investigations are very important in terms of obtaining the transparency of the action and the confidence of the public.        

In his turn, US Embassy in Armenia Chargé d’Affaires Bruce Donahue noted that elections are the cornerstone of democracy, and they give legal power to the authorities.   

“The combination of good laws, [and] good executions [of the law] is extremely important. Any violation undermines the foundations of democracy and weakens the authorities,” the US representative stated adding that those who do not legitimize the elections, do not legitimize the authorities, either.