YEREVAN. – The ruling Republican Party of Armenia (RPA), led by Prime Minister Karen Karapetyan, has begun to bribe people ahead of the forthcoming parliamentary election, whereas the Central Electoral Commission (CEC) is turning a blind eye on this, wrote Zhoghovurd (People) newspaper.

According to the newspaper, during an RPA election campaign assembly in Spitak town, a man asked PM Karapetyan to give him a watch as a gift, and the Premier did not turn him down. He instructed his consultant to take down the information of this man, so as to send him a watch. 

As per Zhoghovurd, however, this is a violation of the Electoral Law of Armenia. According to Article 19 of this law, candidates and political parties running in elections are prohibited from giving—or pledging—money, food, securities and goods, or providing—or pledging—services to voters.

The parliamentary election in Armenia will be conducted on April 2.