YEREVAN. – The opposition Armenian National Congress will appeal election results, head of parliamentary group Levon Zurabyan told reporters on Wednesday.

Zurabyan said they would demand recounting of votes at 27 precincts and recognizing invalid election results at 7 precincts. He is confident that recounting will reveal numerous irregularities.   

“Recounting is the only method to disclose election fraud. We must collect the evidence in order to file a lawsuit to the Administrative Court to recognize election results invalid,” he said, adding that the lawsuit is being prepared.

The Central Electoral Commission (CEC) on Monday issued the preliminary results of Sunday’s voting. In line with this outcome, the ruling Republican Party of Armenia, the non-pro-government Prosperous Armenia Party, and the opposition Heritage Party-led “Barev, [Hello] Yerevan” bloc will comprise the new Council of Elders of Yerevan.

Opposition Armenian National Congress Party, opposition ARF Dashnaktsutyun Party, coalition government’s Orinats Yerkir (Rule of Law) Party, and Arakelutyun (Mission) Party, on the other hand, did not pass the 6-percent threshold for the parties to become members in the Yerevan Council of Elders.