YEREVAN. – Everything will go as normal, said Vladimir Gasparyan, Chief of Police of Armenia, speaking to reporters after casting his vote in Sunday’s National Assembly election. 

Gasparyan added that he had voted for peace and stability.

Reflecting on electoral fraud, he noted: “It is a type of crime that there definitely needs to be a side that petitions [for it], a side that takes [it], [and] a side that makes an announcement [for it].”

The Armenian Police chief, however, expressed confidence that the “neighborhood elite” cannot have a role to play during elections in Armenia.

Armenia is holding a parliamentary election for the first time since the new Constitution was approved through a referendum in December 2015. The new National Assembly will have 105 deputies, four of whom—representatives of ethnic minorities.

A total of 2,009 election precincts are open all through the country. This voting will be the only national one in the next five years, as Armenia is transitioning to a parliamentary republic.

Five political parties and four blocs are running for parliament. Political parties have to get 5 percent of votes, whereas the blocs need 7 percent to be elected to the National Assembly of Armenia.