YEREVAN. – It is astonishing that the Armenian authorities have sent the draft Electoral Code to the Venice Commission—i.e. the European Commission for Democracy through Law of the Council of Europe—without a broad debate.

Hovhannes Margaryan, member of the opposition Orinats Yerkir (Rule of Law) National Assembly Faction, stated the aforementioned at Monday’s discussion on the Electoral Code.

He added that they are not familiarized with the draft Electoral Code which the authorities are working on, and noted that this is impermissible.

“During the meeting with the OSCE [i.e. the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe] representatives, they, too, were astonished, and said that this is impermissible,” Margaryan noted. “The Electoral Code should be discussed openly so that it is adopted with as much consensus option as possible.”

In the opposition MP’s words, the new Electoral Code of Armenia needs to seal off the election falsifiers’ respective opportunities.