YEREVAN.- The mission of the International Expert Center for Electoral Systems (ICES) will start their monitoring of Armenia’s elections from February 3 regardless of whether elections will be postponed or held on time.

“ICES experts are shocked by the attack on the presidential candidate of Armenia, head of the Union for Self-Determination Paruyr Hayrikyan and wish him a speedy recovery. They urge the investigating authorities promptly to investigate and identify the forces that are behind this illegal act,” the statement reads.

The group includes eight long-term observers. The mission plans to organize meetings with the presidential candidates, leaders of parliamentary factions, members of the central and district electoral commissions, and representatives of the Armenian media.

Unless the vote is postponed to a later date, the major group of short-term observers will arrive in Armenia on February 14. On the voting day, all observers will be distributed to the Armenian cities in order to organize monitoring of maximum number of territorial precincts.

Thirty-five ICES experts represent ten EU countries, the U.S. and Israel. The mission is headed by Knesset MP Alexander Tsinker.