YEREVAN. – The Armenian authorities, led by the Republican Party, are leading the country toward a political party state. 

Opposition Heritage Party Vice-Chairman Armen Martirosyan told the aforesaid to Armenian News-NEWS.am, commenting on the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (OSCE/ODIHR) final report on Armenia’s presidential election that was conducted on February 18.

The rapporteurs advise the Armenian authorities to conduct activities, during elections and in accordance with the Copenhagen Document, toward separating the authorities and the ruling political party. As per Martirosyan, the Armenian authorities have not approached to the letter and spirit of that document even during the capital city Yerevan Council of Elders election that was held on May 5.

“What the OSCE representatives have depicted practically means free elections were not conducted in Armenia,” the opposition member said.

Martirosyan added that if the influence of the ruling party and the state apparatus grows, it will be meaningless to hope for progress.              

“The [election] fraud can be so transparent that it will be impossible not to see it, but this does not worry the authorities,” Armen Martirosyan noted.