YEREVAN. - Congress-PPA [i.e. People’s Party of Armenia] bloc demands the resignation of Armenian Education Minister Levon Mkrtchyan.

The statement of the bloc reads as follows:

“The Union of Informed Citizens NGO published the material on the abuse of administrative resource by the authorities during the parliamentary elections. The enormous volume of materials presented in the form of phone calls is indicative of the fact that the schools and the pre-educational institutions of the republic are massively engaged in the illegal work of the authorities, in particular for the Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) during the pre-election period.  

Having denied the use of administrative resource beforehand, the authorities actually confirmed the fact of collecting lists, not considering this as a violation of law and naming the publication of the recordings a provocation.

The involvement of school and kindergarten principals, teachers and parents of pupils is in reality nothing but an influence on the free expression of will by a voter, which is banned by law.

Congress-PPA bloc [thus]

• Condemns the open lawlessness by the authorities,

• Considers that the material presented by the Union of Informed Citizens NGO should be considered as information on a crime, which the Central Electoral Commission (CEC) should first of all react to,  instituting proceedings being the obligation of the law enforcement authorities,   

• Demands the resignation of Minister of Education and Science of Armenia Levon Mkrtchyan as a person in charge of the sphere.