04 October 2022
Civil Contract faction of the RA National Assembly on October 3 2022 nominated candidates for the chairman and members of the Central Electoral Commission. According to the RA NA Regulation Law, these candidates will be proposed to the National Assembly for voting by the Standing Committee on State and Legal Affairs. Both in the commission and in the National Assembly, the Civil Contract faction actually makes the decision alone, consulting, perhaps, only with the party’s board. Therefore, most likely, the nominated candidates will be elected by the majority of deputies of the National Assembly without objections.
It is highly unacceptable that the Civil Contract faction nominates Vahagn Hovakimyan, a member of the board of the given party, who is the deputy chairman of the standing committee on state-legal issues of the 8th convocation of the National Assembly, for the post of CEC chairman. Mr. Hovakimyan has been involved in active political activity at least since the founding of the Civil Contract Party and has been responsible for coordinating the party’s participation in various elections.
The nomination of a partisan representative by the ruling political force in itself overshadows the democratic progress, the tremendous work of continuous improvement of electoral legislation and processes, which was carried out by the joint efforts of the government, parliamentary and extra-parliamentary forces, local and international organizations. It calls into question the independence and political neutrality of the Central Election Commission from the outset, regardless of the formal ceremony of laying down the party ticket and the declarations and promises of neutrality. This appointment will put the CEC’s standing at risk, regardless of the quality of work, diligence and impartiality of the other members.
In addition to condemning the negative phenomenon of nominating a well-known politician of the ruling party to the position of president of an independent body, we also consider it necessary to give a public assessment of the role of Vahagn Hovakimyan in the electoral legislation reform process of recent years, who came up with problematic legislative initiatives aimed at serving the interests of one party, were developed behind closed doors and tended to reduce transparency and accountability, opposing the participatory processes introduced in this sector.
It is clear that the appointment of its representative by the ruling party does not contribute to the free and fair conduct of future elections and endangers the 2018 elections, the main institutional achievement of the Velvet Revolution, which allowed the incumbent government to pass itself off as democratic. As we have repeatedly informed the authorities at the parliamentary, professional, as well as prime minister levels, we once again publicly assert. The appointment of Vahagn Hovakimyan to the position of CEC president will be evidence of narrow group political interest to the detriment of democratic principles in the decision-making process, including ensuring public participation and respect for public opinion.
We strongly condemn the ruling political party’s approach of appointing a party member to the position of CEC president and demand a review of the nomination. Only non-partisan and non-political persons should be appointed to the positions of the CEC member, and in particular, the president, to ensure the strengthening of the newly emerging democratic foundations of free and fair elections in the Republic of Armenia and public trust in the electoral institutions.
Helsinki Civic Assembly Vanadzor office
Transparency International Anti-Corruption Center
Association of informed citizens
Community Cohesion and Support Center NGO
“Free Citizen” Civic Initiatives Support Center
Educational Center for Equal Rights NGO
Direct Democracy NGO
“Progress of Gyumri”
“Restart Gyumri” / Gyumri “Restart” Center for Initiatives, CSI NGO
Women’s Rights House
Rights Protection Without Borders NGO
“Pink” human rights NGO
Law Development and Defense Fund
House of Human Rights Yerevan NGO
“Peace Dialogue” NGO
“Yezdi Center for Human Rights” human rights NGO
“Human Rights Research Center” human rights NGO
Journalists’ club “Aparez”.
