President Eng

CONTENTS
PREFACE ................................................................................................ 2
GENERAL INFORMATION ON ARMENIA
Data .................................................................................................... 4
Brief post-Soviet history ................................................................. 5
Political system .................................................................................. 9
Elections ............................................................................................ 11
Economics ......................................................................................... 16
Problems ............................................................................................ 17
SELECTED ARMENIAN LEGISLATION
Constitution ....................................................................................... 21
Electoral Code................................................................................... 26
Media Law.......................................................................................... 43
TV and Radio Law ........................................................................... 46
CANDIDATES: BIOGRAPHIES AND PROGRAMS ................. 48
USEFUL ADDRESSES
Government ...................................................................................... 74
Ministries ............................................................................................ 75
Services affiliated with the RA Government ............................... 76
Embassies .......................................................................................... 77
International organizations ............................................................. 79
Political parties .................................................................................. 80
Mass media
TV stations .................................................................................. 82
Radio stations ............................................................................. 83
News agencies............................................................................. 84
Newspapers ................................................................................. 85
Media organizations ................................................................... 86
Hotels ................................................................................................. 87
2 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS / ARMENIA 2003
PREFACE
The Elections Guide is a handbook for journalists covering the 2003 presidential
elections in Armenia, and for local and international observers of the elections.
By producing this Elections Guide we aimed to supply journalists and observers
with assorted reference information that they may need in the course of elections.
We tried our best to be objective and balanced while selecting and structuring the data
contained in the Elections Guide.
The authors of the Guide had previous experience with preparing a similar handbook
for the 1999 parliamentary elections in Armenia. The success of the 1999 Elections
Guide, and the lessons learnt from it, make us hope that the present Elections Guide
will serve its purpose.
The Elections Guide has four chapters. Chapter 1 contains general info on Armenia,
a brief survey of its post-soviet history, an insight into previous elections in Armenia,
an outline of Armenia’s political structure and the problems Armenia now faces. The
situation with freedom of expression, a sensitive issue in the context of elections, is
also briefly described in Chapter 1.
Reporters covering the elections will profit from Chapter 2, which contains selected
Armenian legislation relevant to presidential elections. The chapter has excerpts from
the Constitution of Armenia, its Electoral Code, Media Law and the Law on TV and
Radio Broadcasting. All legislation is given as of December 31, 2002, with all recent
amendments and additions included. Some of the laws have not yet been officially
translated into English; we have done our best to ensure that the unofficial English
translations contained in this handbook are true to the Armenian originals.
Chapter 3 is devoted to the runners for presidency. For every candidate, we provide
a brief biography and highlights of his electoral program. While working on the guide,
members of our team visited all the electoral headquarters and met with most of the
candidates. For the purposes of the Elections Guide, we had to shorten down the
electoral programs given to us by the candidates. Most of the programs are quite long,
and, if published in full, would have turned into a solid tome what was designed as a
handy reference booklet. To avoid this, we took the liberty of making summaries of
PREFACE 3
the electoral programs using a list of priority issues that we selected (foreign policy, the
situation in Nagorno-Karabakh, home policy, social policy, economic issues, diaspora,
culture and education).
The last chapter, especially practical for observers and journalists coming from abroad,
contains contact details of Armenian government offices (the President, parliament,
ministries, law enforcement agencies); major political parties active in Armenia; foreign
embassies and international organizations; mass media and media organizations.
The schedule for preparing the guide was very tight. The names of the candidates
only became known by early December. By the end of 2002, most candidates had not
yet come up with electoral programs, which we had yet to summarize, translate into
two languages and prepare for print. In order to be useful for journalists and observ-
ers, the guide had to be in circulation by the beginning of the electoral campaign. This
meant we could not afford to wait for the final list of registered candidates to be made
public. As a result, it may happen that some of the candidates listed in the guide will
not appear on the ballots.
The team of the Elections Guide would like to thank the runners for presidency
and the staff of their electoral headquarters for the cooperation that was essential for
the making of this book.
We are grateful to CMI staff members Diana Hakobian and Anna Karagulian for
their help in preparing the Elections Guide.
Yerevan, December 2002

ARMENIA: GENERAL INFORMATION
DATA
Country name:
Conventional long form: Republic of Armenia (RA),
conventional short form: Armenia
Local long form: Hayastani Hanrapetutyun; local short form: Hayastan
State flag: three horizontal bands of equal width: (from top down) red, blue, or-
ange
Independence: September 21, 1991
Constitution: July 5, 1995
Government type: Presidential republic since 1991
Highest legislative body: single-chamber National Assembly, its members are elected
to four-year terms; election system - mixed majority-proportional (the new corps
of the National Assembly will be elected on May 25, 2003)
Head of state: President Robert Kocharian (elected March 1998)
Speaker of National Assembly: Armen Khachatrian (elected November 1999)
Head of government: Prime Minister Andranik Markarian (elected May 2000)
Official language: Armenian, a separate branch in the Indo-European family of
languages
The Ar menian alphabet was created by Mesrop Mashtots in 405 AD.
A considerable fraction of the population speaks Russian; knowledge of English
is fairly widespread.
Area: 29.740 sq. km, (comparable with that of Belgium or Albania). Has common
boundaries with Azerbaijan (787 km), Georgia (164 km), Iran (35 km) and Turkey
(268 km)
Average elevation: 1800 m
Highest point: summit of the Aragats mountain (4095 m)
Population: 3, 330, 0991 (the data of October 2001)
ARMENIA: GENERAL INFORMATION 5
Ethnic composition: Armenians 98%, then, in decreasing numbers, Yezids (Kurds),

Russians, Ukrainians, Assyrians, Greeks etc
Gender ratio:
below 14 years of ag e: 22.2% (boys - 374,597; girls -363,115)
15-64 years: 67.7% (male -1,104,100; female -1,150,282)
above 65 years: 10.1% (male - 141,330; female - 196,675)
Average longevity: total population: 66.59 years
Female: 71.12 years, male: 62.27 years
Religions
Christians: Armenian Apostolic church, Orthodox Church, Baptists, Adventists,
Jehovah’s Witnesses
Other religions a type of Zoroastriic cult (Yezidi Kurds).
Capital: Yerevan, population 1.2 mln.
Ten administrative provinces (marz): Aragatsotn, Ararat, Armavir, Vayots Dzor,
Gegarkunik, Kotaik, Lori, Syunik, Tavush, Shirak
National currency: dram, current exchange rate about 585 dram for 1 USD (De-
cember 2002)
Banknote denominations: 10, 25, 50, 100, 200, 500, 1000, 5000, 20.000, 50 000
dram.
BRIEF HISTORY OF THE POST-SOVIET PERIOD

Armenia seceded from the Soviet Union in complete compliance with the proce-
dures envisaged by the Soviet legislation. In March 1991 the highest legislative body
of the republic, Armenia’s Supreme Soviet of People’s Deputies, passed the decision
to have the all-Armenia referendum six months later on whether Armenia should
secede from the USSR. The referendum took place on September 21, 1991, with 97%
of the citizen voting for the Armenian sovereignty. On the basis of the referendum
results, Armenian independence was proclaimed on September 23.
Building the new state faced serious difficulties because of the lack of traditions
of living in a national state (the first independent Armenian republic of 1918-1920
existed for far too short a time; this experience of statehood ended with absorption
by the Bolshevik Russia). The last Armenian state in existence was brought to an end
1
Official data of the population census of October 2001 have not yet been published. All data given in
this section are preliminary.
nearly seven centuries ago, and not even on the territory of the modern Armenia.
By the 1990s, Armenians had no traditions of life in a democratic environment and
hence no political checks and balances that characterize countries with established
democratic institutions.
Furthermore, from virtually the first days of regaining its statehood, Armenia
had to struggle with a number of most difficult problems that it inherited from the
previous political system. Most of these still remain unresolved.
Among these is the work of rebuilding the country after the tragic earthquake of
1988. By official Soviet statistics, about 25,000 people died and about 500,000 (nearly
one sixth of the Armenian population) lost their homes. The economics and com-
munication infrastructure of the northern Armenia, whose industry constituted 52%
of the economic potential of the country, was completely destroyed.
The transport and energy blockade of Armenia in 1989-1995
One of the methods of bringing pressure on Armenia in connection with the

Nagorno-Karabakh conflict was the transport blockade put up by Azerbaijan and by
Turkey, which supported Azerbaijan. The main railway line that connected Armenia
with Russia and through Russia to Europe was thus blocked. The shortest route to
European markets – via Turkey – was also denied. None of these routes are open as
this text is being written. The blockade is still on.
The transportation link across Georgia that could allow Armenian goods to reach
Black Sea ports was also lost. The civil war in Georgia and then the Georgia-Abkhazia
and Georgia-Ossetia conflicts made it unusable.
The only automobile road that was not closed for political reasons connected Ar-
menia to Iran. Unfortunately, it was in very bad state, crossed dangerous mountainous
passes and was practically impassable in winter months.
At the beginning of the 1990s the transport blockade created a severe energy crisis
in Armenia. The reason was that the main energy sources that Armenia had in the
Soviet times were the energy generated at the Armenian atomic power station at
Metsamor and the energy supplied through the all-USSR power grid. Armenia has
no energy-rich mineral deposits on its territory and no possibility of harnessing the
energy of small mountainous rivers (they remain unused). After the earthquake of
1988, the seismic threat was assessed as serious; consequently, the operation of the
Armenian atomic power station, sitting at a distance of only fifty kilometres from
Yerevan with its population of more that one million, was terminated.
The main gas pipeline that brought gas to Armenia passed through Azerbaijan and
thus stopped functioning. The back-up pipeline was built on Georgian territory and
passed through areas inhabited by Azeris. In the crisis years this pipeline was often
sabotaged by explosions.
The Armenian population thus had no gas and no house heating in winter; electric
energy was provided for not more than two hours a day. We can hypothesize that
one of the causes of the crisis was unprofessional power management under new
conditions.
Problems brought about by the energy blockade were alleviated by re-launching
of the atomic power station in 1996. At the moment the population of Armenia
does not suffer from energy shortages; in fact, some electric energy is even exported
to Georgia.
The Karabakh war
There can be no doubt that the Karabakh problem was the toughest one for Ar-
menia. By the end of 1991 the armed conflicts that remained local before, now flared
up to a full-scale war resorting to all types of modern warfare, including aviation,
rocket and artillery means of mass destruction. Turkey was indirectly involved in the
conflict on Azerbaijan’s side, helping it with military instructors and weapons, and
implementing the political and transport blockade of Armenia. Armenia, in its turn,
had some support from Russia, receiving weapons and ammunition.
As a result of the military campaign the entire territory of Nagorno-Karabakh
was ultimately placed under control and a “security belt” was created around it that
included some areas of Azerbaijan proper. This “security belt” has important strategic
significance for Nagorno-Karabakh since some of these regions were dominating its
territory while others could become a bridgehead for new military offences.
International mediation helped enforce the truce in May 1994 over the entire
Armenia-Azerbaijan and Karabakh-Azerbaijan border. On the whole, it remains in
force until today and no serious violations of truce were observed. In the meantime,
numerous negotiations and consultations were conducted in the framework of the
OSCE Minsk group on defining the final status of Karabakh and on working out
an Armenia-Azerbaijan agreement. The negotiations involved the participation of
the heads of state: Heidar Aliev on the Azerbaijani side and Levon Ter-Petrosian
(replaced by Robert Kocharian since 1998) on the Armenian side. In three years from
1999 to 2002, Kocharian and Aliev met 19 times but the threat of full-scale military
actions remains very real.
Internal political scene. Mid-1990s to 27 October 1999
Once independence was obtained, the political target was announced of creating
a state based on law, with democratic institutions, civil society and liberal econom-
ics. Nevertheless, as was the case with most post-communist states, Armenia failed
to avoid abrupt changes of speed on the road towards these goals, and they remain
largely unimplemented.
Liberalization of economics combined with energy crisis led to the collapse of the
Soviet-type industry that aimed to serve the socialist-type organization of economics
and to meet the needs of the economic network of the USSR. This in turn impoverished
most of the population, created rampant unemployment and massive emigration. Vari-
ous estimates indicate that up to a million citizens left Armenia in the last decade.
After military operations ceased, it was not possible any more to blame all economic
hardships on the specifics of the war years. The social conscience gradually came to
a conclusion that the main reasons for the disastrous situation in which Armenian
citizens found themselves were the low efficiency of the management system and the
corruption of state bureaucracy.
The dissatisfaction of the population with living standards, the rejection of the posi-
tion of the acting president in the Karabakh problem by key players in power echelons
(they felt he allowed too many concessions) ultimately caused the removal of the first
president of independent Armenia from power in February 1998. Under opposition’s
pressure, Levon Ter-Petrosian had to resign the office on February 3, 1998. The outward
reason for his resignation was his position on the Karabakh issue. The opposition was
persuaded that Ter-Petrosian was ready to “sell out” on Karabakh.
The Armenian All-Nation Movement removed itself from power together with its
leader.
Robert Kocharian, who was Prime Minister at the moment, was elected new president.
His main opponent in the election was the former leader of the Soviet Armenia Karen
Demirchian. Not even a year after the election, Karen Demirchian formed an alliance
with Defense Minister Vazgen Sarkisian. These two politicians, whatever the positions
they occupied at various moments in their careers, became the most important actors
in the political life of the Armenian society. The Unity alliance that they headed was
victorious in the elections in May 1999, raising Demirchian to Parliamentary Speaker
and Sarkisian to Prime Minister. As a result, the President had to play a secondary role
and Demirchian and Sarkisian forged a political force center. The population believed
that the two would be able to lead the country out of the crisis.
27 October 1999 and its consequences
On this day five armed men led by a former journalist Nairi Unanian broke into
the Hall of Sessions of the Parliament and gunned down the Prime Minister of the
country, the Parliamentary Speaker, his two deputies, one minister and three members
of parliament. In fact, two of the three branches of power were left headless – the
legislative and the administrative.
Everyone present in the hall was taken hostage – members of parliament and the
government of the country. Some of them were released by the evening of the same
day while forty people remained hostage until morning when, after negotiations with
President Kocharian, Unanian’s group gave itself up to the authorities.
The parliamentary carnage of October 27, 1999 has shaken the country. Indeed,
what Unanian and his men achieved was the elimination of the leaders of the new
political elite that began to form after the elections to the National Assembly in
May 1999.
The events of October 27, 1999 led to a political crisis so profound that the very
Armenian statehood was on the brink of collapse. The President balanced on a
tightrope of possible resignation, governments were falling one after another (three
in seven months) and the army was close to splitting. Gradually, though, the President
succeeded in consolidating the power by multiple reshuffles of key personalities in
key positions. By the spring of 2000, political stability was restored.
An indirect confirmation of this was the induction of Armenia into the European
Council in November 2001, and in December 2002, into the World Trade Organiza-
tion.
POLITICAL STRUCTURE
By its constitutional arrangement, Armenia is a semi-presidential republic. The
President’s jurisdiction includes the appointment of the Prime Minister, formation
of the Cabinet, and appointment of marzpets (administrative heads of marzes, i.e.
provinces). The President is the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces. He also
has the authority to dismiss the National Assembly before the end of term. Through
the Council of Justice, the President takes part in forming the judiciary and law-en-
forcement system and has control over it.
The Prime Minister heads the Cabinet of Ministers and reports directly to the
President. The Prime Minister seeks President’s approval for candidates to ministe-
rial positions. One of his duties is to regularly report to Parliament on the activities
of his Cabinet of Ministers.
The territory of Armenia is divided into ten marzes. The position of marz head
(marzpet) is not elective – a marzpet is designated to his position and relieved of
it by a decree of the government, signed by the President. The capital Yerevan has
the marz status but the Yerevan marzpet is appointed by the President on Prime
Minister’s nomination.
According to the current Constitution, the highest legislative body of the country
is the single-chamber National Assembly elected via a mixed majority-proportional
electoral system. In the past most members were elected in single-member districts
(in the current parliament, 75 were elected this way and 56 via party lists) but the
proportion now shifts in favor of party lists: in the new elections in the May 2003,
56 candidates will be elected from single-member districts and 75 via party lists.
Parliament sessions are assembled twice a year. The organizational management of
the National Assembly is the responsibility of the National Assembly Chairman. The
National Assembly Chairman is assisted by a consultative group consisting of his two
deputies, Secretary of the National Assembly, Chairmen of permanent commissions,
parliament factions and groups, and the Head of Parliament’s Technical Apparatus.
The hierarchy of the judiciary system is
- First-instance courts;
- Court of Appeal;
- Cassation court (highest-level Appeals court).
The country’s President is the guarantor of the independence of the judiciary
system. The President also heads the Council of Justice
The Constitutional Court occupies a very special place. Its jurisdiction is to make
sure that all laws, President’s decrees, decisions and enactments of the government and
the Parliament, international treaties and agreements ratified by the National Assembly
are not in contradiction of the Constitution of Armenia. The Constitutional Court has
the prerogative to decide on disputes and controversies on the matter of referendums,
elections of the President and members of the National Assembly, and the banning or
temporary suspension of the activities of political parties.
The right to apply to the Constitutional Court belongs to the President, the Prime
Minister or a group of members of the National Assembly (in the last case, compris-
ing at least one third of the members of the National Assembly). During elections,
candidates to presidency or parliamentary seats have the right to apply to the Con-
stitutional Court but only on controversial matters regarding electoral procedures.
The impossibility for individual citizens to seek help from the Constitutional Court
does not comply with the norms of the Council of Europe whose member Armenia
is since 2001.
Only the Constitutional Court has the right to remove the President of Armenia
from power. This decision must be supported by at least six members of the Con-
stitutional Court. If one takes into account that the Constitutional Court consists of
nine members, four of which are appointed by the President, it becomes clear that
the constitutionally provided possibility of presidential impeachment can hardly be
implemented in today’s Armenia.
One of the election campaign promises made by Robert Kocharian was an evolu-
tionary amendment of the Constitution aimed at a redistribution of responsibilities
of the branches of power so that the prerogatives of the National Assembly, the
government and the judiciary system would increase at the expense of the preroga-
tives of the institution of the President. A Presidential Commission was created to
propose changes to the Constitution. The Commission prepared a project propos-
ing 78 amendments to the Fundamental Law. The amendments were sent up to the
National Assembly and the Project of the Constitution was published in newspapers.
However, the activities of the Commission have gradually petered out. No rearrange-
ment of the prerogatives fixed in the Constitution occurred in the five years that
elapsed since the election of Robert Kocharian.
At the moment, the Ministry of Justice of Armenia has registered 108 political
parties and associations. Armenian parties address the entire nation and correspond-
ingly speak in the name of the entire nation. The programs of the parties do not
differ very much. To a certain extent, the political parties of Armenia are groups of
people with fuzzily defined ideological principles; they are united around the person
of a charismatic group leader. A loss of a leader (a physical loss as in the case of
Demirchian or Sarkisian) or a gradual fading away of the leader’s charisma auto-
matically bring decline in the ratings of the party in the polls or even to a complete
disappearance of the party from the political arena.
ELECTIONS
The most significant election campaigns in the post-Soviet Armenia were:

1) presidential elections in October 1991,
2) elections to the National Assembly and the referendum on Armenia’s Constitu-
tion in July 1995,
3) presidential elections in September 1996,
4) extraordinary presidential elections in February-March 1998, and
5) elections to the National Assembly in May 1999.
Presidential elections of 1991
In 1991, when the first presidential elections took place, the institute of interna-
tional observers was not yet adequately developed, so that the election results were
assessed by local political scientists and journalists. Their opinion was that the elections
were very democratic and transparent and the ultimate declaration of the result was
in complete agreement with the expressed wish of the electorate. Neither then nor
later did the unreserved victory of Levon Ter-Petrosian cause doubts even among
the most radical of his opponents.
It is almost a certainty that some violations occurred in the 1991 elections but
they caused no suspicions that the results of voting were not genuine. The violations
themselves were largely caused by the absence of traditions in running elections. We
can be reasonably sure therefore that the very first elections in independent Armenia
followed the rules of law and could be the foundation of the growth of democratic
institutions in the country.
Some methods used to falsify the results of elections
Beginning with the parliamentary elections of 1995, a system of falsifying the

results of elections evolved in Armenia. As a rule, tampering is done by the authori-
ties, simply because they have more opportunities for doing this.
The state media, state TV channels more than any other, are actively used for un-
disguised agitation in favour of the governmental candidates and for criticising the
opposition. As a result, the campaign by opposition’s candidates is mostly described
in negative terms and their access to state media is restricted.
Bribing the electorate becomes a most widespread practice. Candidates offer the
voter food packages or money, or have streets resurfaced with new asphalt, or pay up
the communal debt, or finance street lighting. The members of the electorate disap-
pointed with the impartiality of the election practices and estranged from power, view
their own votes as commodity and try to sell them to the highest bidder; they feel
indifferent to who will become the President or member of National Assembly.
In the course of voting chairmen of election committees, and sometimes leaders
of local criminal groups, hinder the work of the election observers representing
the opposition. This is done with indifference, and often with actual assistance, of
law-enforcement personnel. Bundles of pre-marked voting ballots are stuffed into
ballot boxes.
When servicemen vote in military units, the voting is often controlled by their of-
ficers. In the same vein, voting in hospitals is tightly controlled by officials. Voters in
villages may also be under pressure from heads of local administrations, and hence
election procedures differ little there from what happens with the military.
The election lists are a huge resource for all sorts of falsification. By 1995 around
600,000 people emigrated from Armenia (by the data of UNDP). Most of them were
older than 18 and thus had the right of vote. Nevertheless, they continued to remain
on these lists, along with those who died in the years between the elections. Inciden-
tally, the results of the census conducted in October 2001 have not been published
yet. Many observers believe that the publication is being postponed deliberately, in
order to keep open the loophole for figure juggling in the elections of 2003. Further
vote rigging occurs also during vote counting.
Parliamentary elections of 1995 and the referendum on

Armenia’s Constitution
The main feature of these elections was that Dashnaktsutyun, the Armenian
Revolutionary Federation (ARFD) did not take part. As early as December 1994
President Ter-Petrosian withdrew the right of political activity from this party for six
months, referring to contradictions between certain statements of the party statutes
and the current laws of Armenia. The ARFD is one of the oldest and largest of
Armenian political parties, it had ruled the country in 1918-1920, its reputation was
very high both in Armenia proper and in the Diaspora, and it had a reliable electorate.
Dashnaktsutyun was in resolute opposition to the then ruling Armenia All-Nation
Movement and its leader, President Ter-Petrosian. A decision of the Supreme Court
upheld the presidential decree. Since this ban on activities would expire in mid-July,
Dashnaktsutyun was artificially locked out of the election campaign.
Immediately after the presidential decree was proclaimed, top personalities of
ARFD were accused of forming illegal military organizations and arrested, the of-
fices of newspapers belonging to this party were closed, and all the equipment was
confiscated. Local branches of Dashnaktsutyun were also persecuted. ARFD has thus
lost any chance of affecting the elections even indirectly. Once the elections were
over, practically all leaders of the party were arrested, now accused of preparing a
coup d’etat. Dashnaktsutyun has thus lost a chance of taking part in the elections
of the President in 1996.
The conclusions of the OSCE observers was that the 1995 elections were “free but
unjust”, precisely because the leading opposition force in the country was artificially
banned from taking part.
The methods tested in July 1995 were widely applied by the authorities in the
presidential elections in September 1996. The choice was again artificially restricted
since Dashnaktsutyun was not represented. Even though the officially declared tem-
porary ban on the activities of the ARFD had expired, the ban was in force until the
last day of President Ter-Petrosian’s staying in power, and the leaders of the AFRD
remained imprisoned.
It became clear during the pre-election campaign that voters were going to vote not
for one specific candidate of opposition but mostly against Levon Ter-Petrosian. Four
opposition candidates then joined forces in favor of one of them, Vazgen Manukian,
who was able to concentrate the support of the opposition electorate. He seemed to
be capable of winning the election.
Nevertheless, the official results declared Levon Ter-Petrosian as winner with
51.75% of the total vote. Manukian was said to get 41.29%.
The OSCE observers mission noted that the official results looked suspicious
since there was a considerable discrepancy (22,013) between the number of those
who voted and the number of coupons found in ballot boxes (that year each voter
was handed a ballot paper and a coupon confirming the fact of voting). In addition,
the number of ballots in favor of Ter-Petrosian was by only 21,194 greater than the
amount required for the first-round victory.
Even though international observers reported irregularities throwing a shadow
of doubt on the first-round victory, Levon Ter-Petrosian was declared President.
Opposition’s attempts to force the Central Elections Commission to recount the
voting ballots (through public meetings and massive disobedience) were broken by
the authorities by force: the army entered Yerevan and some members of the op-
position were arrested.
No problems with selection or registration of candidates were encountered in the

extraordinary presidential elections in 1998. It must be mentioned that the legality
of registering Robert Kocharian as candidate was somewhat doubtful. The law states
that any candidate to presidency is required to prove residency in Armenia during
the last ten years, and Kocharian moved to Armenia from the Nagorno-Karabakh
Republic only in March 1997.
The Media Law was mostly followed, none of the candidates complained that their
right to use TV and radio time for election purposes was infringed. The state-owned
media behaved with moderation in their characterization of candidates and showed

no obvious bias towards that of the party in power. The preliminary report by the
OSCE observation mission noted that the society had sufficient possibilities for
watching, hearing and reading about candidates both in state-owned and privately
owned media.
All the same, administration’s leverage was used quite intensely, especially in the
provinces. Nonetheless, Karen Demirchian who lost in the second round of elections
made no official move to challenge Robert Kocharian’s victory.
Parliamentary elections of 1999
The latest elections in Armenia were run in May 1999 when all seats of the highest
legislative body of the country, the National Assembly, were up for election. Right
before the elections, the election coalition Unity was formed, with two charismatic
leaders, Karen Demirchian and Vozgen Sarkisian at its helm. These two personali-
ties in one alliance attracted large groups of population from seemingly antagonistic
camps. The nostalgic segment of the population associated Karen Demirchian, the
communist leader of the Soviet Armenia for 14 years, with calm and affluent times
they enjoyed in the USSR. In the eyes of the patriotically minded segment of the
electorate Vazgen Sarkisian was a symbol of the national liberation war in Karabakh.
Sarkisian was one of the most influential politicians in Armenia of the second half
of the 1990s.
The alliance of these two figures ensured victory in the elections. Furthermore,
the President behaved with manifest neutrality, not offering support to any of the
competing groups. This factor may explain why obvious violations and swindling
were so infrequent.
Nevertheless, a scandal proved unavoidable. The lists of voters were compiled
sloppily and thousands of voters had to go to courts to fight for their right to vote.
Judges worked all day long stamping decisions to allow voters access to ballot boxes.
Nevertheless, judging by publications in Yerevan papers, about 20,000 people were
unable to vote.
International observers pointed out that the lists significantly deviated from reality.
They also noted that unauthorized persons were present in voting centers and that the
balloting procedure in army units did not always comply with the law. Nevertheless,
the OSCE observers’ mission concluded that the parliamentary elections of 1999 in
Armenia were a step forward in comparison with the preceding elections.
The results of these election were however wiped out in the most unforeseen
way five months later, on 0ctober 27, by the assassination of Karen Demirchian
and Vazgen Sarkisian who at the time occupied the positions of the parliamentary
speaker and prime minister.
ECONOMICS
Until the 1990s, Armenia was an element of centralized Soviet economic complex.
It was characterized by high-level industrialization and science-intensive production
processes that were mostly oriented to meet the needs of the giant military-industrial
complex of the USSR. The crush of the Soviet empire and the ensuing collapse of
its military programs left a number of large Armenian plants without their traditional
consumers. The logistics blockade cut the country off the sources of raw materials
and precluded the industry from offering its product to new markets. The energy
crisis that followed pushed the economics of Armenia into a protracted and deep
tail-spin.
Unemployment, large-scale inflation (climbed 10,000% during 1994) forced a wave
of economics-driven migration involving hundreds of thousands of people. Those
who left the country were mostly the higher skilled and better-educated employees
who found they were needed in other economic systems.
Fortunately, certain economic revival was noticeable in recent years. Economic
reforms grew more targeted, economics began to adapt to the disintegration of the
formerly unified economic space and to tune itself to the realities of new external
factors.
Beginning with 1996, the national produce started to grow steadily. The annual
growth rate of the national produce now fluctuates around 7%2 , and that of retail
trade varies from 5 to 13%. The inflation rate fell drastically: in 1995 the prices of
consumer goods rose by 176% while in January 2002 the consumer goods index rose
by only 0.3% in comparison with that of January 2001. The total amount of capital
investment began to grow in the last four years: on the average by 26% annually.
Despite these trends, the Armenian economy is in dire straights. About 30% of the
national produce is provided by agriculture while the industry of the formerly highly
industrial Armenia generates only 20%. The level of investment into the agricultural
sector, and therefore into raising labor productivity, remains very low. In addition,
the economics of the country is extremely sensitive to changes in various external
factors, so that its macroeconomics indices fluctuate wildly.
2
According to official data, the industrial output for the first ten months of 2002 rose by 15.1% over
the same period of 2001.
The progress in foreign trade is very uneven: import figures exceed export figures
by a factor of almost 2.5. Armenia’s external debt is twice as big as its annual budget,
and regular interest payments are a heavy burden on the economy. Growth of high
technologies, considered to be the most promising direction for Armenia, is held
back by the monopoly on telecommunication means.
Highly placed state officials have to admit that the share of illegitimate “shadow”
economics exceeds 40%. This means that almost a half of the real economy continues
to operate outside the sphere of legal tax collection.
Entrepreneurs who have no protectors among the top echelons of power are in
least favored positions and some have to close their businesses in Armenia. Con-
sequently, a number of experts concluded that the country is dominated by a “clan
economy” when entire segments of national economy (typically the most profitable
ones, like the import of fuels and lubricants or cigarettes, construction business etc)
are controlled by small groups of people who have secured support from highly
placed bureaucrats.
Almost all large-scale industrial plants are by now privatized. With only few ex-
ceptions, they are all either non-functional or operate at a very small fraction of
capacity. The services businesses are expanding. Investments into hotels, restaurants
and cafés are regarded as promising. At the same time, the infrastructure is lagging
behind and thus hinders the formation of the services market. The reconstruction
of roads conducted by the Lincy Foundation (headed by the American billionaire
Kirk Kirkorian) may be a source of certain optimism.
Money sent by relatives who left to work abroad, mostly in Russia, play a very
important role for Armenians in Armenia. According to expert estimates, the sum
transferred to Armenia annually forms almost one half of the state budget.
PROBLEMS
The most pressing problem for Armenia is – still - the unresolved issue of Na-
gorno-Karabakh. The truce signed in 1994 has not yet evolved into an integrated
political agreement between the two opposing countries. Although frequent meetings
between the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan do stabilize the situation to a certain
degree, the problem is still a very long way from resolution.
This unresolved conflict, this “no peace no war” situation threatens the internal
political stability of both countries which permanently feel the danger of having the
conflict spill over into the “hot phase”. Moreover, a resumption of military hostilities
may trigger political explosions in Armenia or Azerbaijan.
As a result, an unbearably large part of the budget is spent on maintaining the

army in battle readiness. At the same time, the very fact that the unresolved problem
hovers over the nation maintains an unfavorable climate for investments in Arme-
nia and drives potential investors away from participation in long-term economic
programs.
In addition to the explosive potential inherent in the Armenian-Azerbaijani rela-
tions, tension in the external political sphere persists in the relations with Turkey,
another of Armenia’s neighbors. There are still no diplomatic relations between the
two countries, and the border remains closed, on Turkey’s initiative. Turkey accuses
Armenia of aggression against Azerbaijan. In its turn, Armenia insists on official
recognition of the fact of genocide organized by the Young Turks government of
Turkey in 1915. Ever since Kocharian came to power, the demand of recognition of
genocide as historical fact became one of the prime goals of foreign policy of Arme-
nia, which definitely reduces the likelihood of normalization of the Armenian-Turkish
relations in a foreseeable future.
Certain problems persist in Armenia’s relations with Georgia. These primarily
concern the situation in connection with the Georgian Javakhetia province border-
ing on Armenia (known as ‘Javakhk’ in Armenian) with substantial and concentrated
Armenian population. The population of this province lives under tough social and
economic conditions and believes that federal Georgian authorities conduct discrimi-
natory policies against them. Tbilisi, in its turn, is suspicious of separatist tendencies
of the inhabitants of Javakhetia.
One of the two Russian military bases surviving in Georgia is located in Javakhetia,
in the town Akhalkalaki. The local population argues against dismantling this base
since people perceive it as protection against Turkish aggression across the border.
Furthermore, some of the inhabitants of Akhalkalaki are employed on the Russian
military base. If we rely on information in the Western press, salaries to the local
population come to 60,000 US dollars a month.
Attempts of the Georgian and Armenian leaders to jointly stabilize the situation
have not yet produced appreciable improvements. There is still a threat that tension
may escalate, perhaps in response to actions from outside, and trigger deterioration
in Armenian-Georgian relations.
Armenia’s neighborhood includes what political scientists started to call recently
‘the North-South confrontation line’, and this created a new geopolitical problem
for Armenia. The main areas where the growing campaign against international ter-
rorism now unfolds lies in Armenia’s immediate vicinity.
Caucasus, and Armenia as its part, remain to be a zone where geopolitical interests
of the USA, Russia and to some extent European Union overlap and clash, and also
an object of rivalry between the local superpowers, Turkey and Iran. In this situation,
Armenian leadership chose complimentarity as its foreign policy doctrine.

Among the internal political problems, we need to point to the polarization of
the society along the haves vs. have-nots lines. Sociological studies signal that more
than half of the population subsist below the poverty line. A truly minute group of
people control all the economic levers and financial resources of the country. The
widespread opinion is that in the current economic environment in Armenia, one
cannot build a substantial fortune running a legal business. Consequently, any large
fortune is a result of corruption in the officialdom.
Sociological polls conducted in Yerevan in October 2002 showed that law enforce-
ment agencies are the least trusted by the population. The overwhelming majority of
the respondents (81%) are sure that courts in Armenia are not guided by the letter of
the law and the citizen-court interaction in Armenia is built exclusively on the “pay-
per-service” foundation. Even a higher fraction of respondents (87%) believe that
that the courts are completely dependent on the highest echelons of state officials,
and do not consider this system as a guarantor of legal protection of a citizen. It
is of interest to note that the fraction of respondents convinced that the judiciary
branch is corrupt is virtually the same as that found by sociological studies five years
ago. We can conclude that the reform of the judiciary implemented in this period
failed to achieve the goals formulated for it.
Another problem concurrent with corruption is the so-called “shadow” econo-
my.
The still continuing emigration from Armenia is a way of gauging the decline of
the social environment. At the beginning of the 1990s migrants quoted the inability to
find employment in Armenia and unbearable living standards due to energy crisis as
the main reasons for emigration. Unemployment remained one of the main causes of
emigration in recent years. Polls among students of higher educational institutions in
Yerevan revealed that only one out of three expect to pursue their careers in Armenia.
Importantly, the number of “pessimists” is greater among students of senior years
of college, as they have to consider their employment opportunities in serious.
As the date of presidential elections draws nearer, the issue of freedom of expres-
sion heats up. The immediate cause was that two TV companies, A1+ and Noyan
Tapan, lost licenses of TV broadcasting. Both channels were perceived by the viewers
are genuinely independent and offered time liberally to members of the opposition.
Formally, the licenses were withdrawn in terms of a tender to the available frequen-
cies; superficially at least all the procedures required in the law were followed. Nev-
ertheless, there can be no doubt there were hidden political motives behind denying
broadcasting rights to TV companies not loyal to the ruling regime.
By mid-December 2002 it became clear that the persecuted channels would take
part in the tender to new TV frequencies. One has the impression nonetheless that
the authorities will procrastinate with the date of the tender, so that A1+ and/or
Noyan Tapan would start broadcasting only after the completion of the presidential
elections. Other TV channels, proclaimed to be formally independent, are in fact
controlled by specific groups of the ruling elite and thus make access to TV time
very difficult for representatives of the opposition.
It is thus evident that during the months before the elections the conditions for
pre-election campaigning are quite unequal for the acting president and for the
opposition candidates. It is important to remember that the most efficient form
of reaching the audience will be through electronic media since the circulation of
printed materials in Armenia is tiny, their prices are much too high for many, and
their numbers reaching the provinces are very restricted.
SELECTED ARMENIAN LEGISLATION 21
SELECTED ARMENIAN LEGISLATION
CONSTITUTION OF THE
REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA
CHAPTER 1.
THE FOUNDATIONS OF CONSTITUTIONAL ORDER
Article 1 The Republic of Armenia is a sovereign, democratic state, based on social
justice and the rule of law.
Article 2 In the Republic of Armenia power lies with the people. The people exercise
their power through free elections and referenda, as well as through state and local
self-governing bodies and public officials as provided by the Constitution. The
usurpation of power by any organization or individual constitutes a crime.
Article 3 The elections of the President, the National Assembly and local self-govern-
ing bodies of the Republic of Armenia, as well as referenda, are held based on the
right to universal, equal and direct suffrage by secret ballot.
CHAPTER 2 .
FUNDAMENTAL HUMAN AND CIVIL RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS
Article 20. Everyone has the right to defend his personal and family life from illegal
interference and his honor and good name from encroachment. It is prohibited
to illegally collect, retain, utilize and disseminate information about a person’s per-
sonal and family life. Everyone has the right to confidentiality of correspondence,
telephone conversations, postal, telegraph and other communications, which right
can be limited only by court decision.
Article 24 Everyone is entitled to assert his or her opinion. No one shall be forced to
retract or change his or her opinion. Everyone is entitled to freedom of speech,
including the freedom to seek, receive and disseminate information and ideas
through any medium of information, regardless of state borders.
CHAPTER 3.
THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC
Article 49 The President of the Republic of Armenia shall uphold the Constitution,
and ensure the normal functioning of the legislative, executive and judicial authori-
ties. The President of the Republic shall be the guarantor of the independence,
territorial integrity and security of ’ the Republic.
Article 50 The President of the Republic shall be elected by the citizens of the Republic
of Armenia for a five year term of office. Every person having attained the age
of thirty five, having been a citizen of the Republic of Armenia for the preceding
ten years, having permanently resided in the Republic for the preceding ten years,
and having the right to vote is eligible for the Presidency. The same person may
not be elected for the post of the President of the Republic for more than two
consecutive terms.
Article 5l Elections for the post of President of the Republic shall be held fifty days
prior to the expiration of the term of office of the President in office and in ac-
cordance with procedures set by the Constitution and the laws.
The candidate who received more than half of the votes cast for the presidential
candidates shall be considered as having been elected President of the Republic. If
the election involved more than two candidates and none received the necessary
votes, a second round of elections shall be held on the fourteenth day following
the first round of the election, at which time the two candidates having received
the highest number of votes in the first round shall participate. The candidate who
receives the highest number of votes during this second round shall be considered
to have been elected.
In the event only one candidate is presented, the candidate shall be considered as
having been elected if he or she has received more than half of the votes cast.
If a President is not elected, there shall be new elections on the fortieth day after
the first round of elections.
The President elect of the Republic shall assume office on the day when the term
of the previous President expires.
A President who shall be elected by new or extraordinary elections shall assume
office within ten days of such elections.
Article 52 In the event that one of the presidential candidates faces insurmountable
obstacles, the presidential elections shall be postponed by two weeks. If during
this period obstacles recognized as insurmountable are not removed, or in the
event of the passing of one of the candidates prior to election day, new elections
shall be held. These new elections shall be held on the fortieth day following the
determination of these obstacles to be insurmountable.
Article 53 In the event of the resignation of the President of the Republic, his or
her passing, incapacity to perform his or her functions, or removal from office in
accordance to Article 57 of the Constitution, special presidential elections shall be
held on the fortieth day following the vacancy of the office.
Article 54 The President of the Republic shall assume office by pledging an oath to
the people during a special sitting of the National Assembly.
Article 55 The President of the Republic:
1. shall address the people and the National Assembly;
2. shall sign and promulgate within twenty one days of receipt, laws passed by
the National Assembly; During this period, the President may remand a law to
the National Assembly with objections and recommendations requesting new
deliberations. The President shall sign and publish the law within five days of
the second passing of such law by the National Assembly;
3. may dissolve the National Assembly and designate special elections after con-
sultations with the President of the National Assembly and the Prime Minister.
Special elections shall be held no sooner than thirty and no later than forty
days after the dissolution of the National Assembly. The President may not
dissolve the National Assembly during the last six months of his or her term
of office;
4. shall appoint and remove the Prime Minister. The President shall appoint and
remove the members of the Government upon the recommendation of the
Prime Minister. In the event that the National Assembly adopts a vote of no
confidence against the Government, the President shall, within twenty one days
accept the resignation of the Government, appoint a Prime Minister and form
a Government;
5. shall make appointments to civilian positions in cases prescribed by law;
6. may establish advisory bodies;
7. shall represent the Republic of Armenia in international relations, conduct and
oversee foreign policy, make international treaties, sign international treaties that
are ratified by the National Assembly, ratify intergovernmental agreements;
8. shall appoint and recall the diplomatic representatives of the Republic of
Armenia to foreign countries and international organizations, and receive the
credentials and letters of recall of diplomatic representatives of foreign coun-
tries;
9. shall appoint and remove the Prosecutor General upon the recommendation
of the Prime Minister;

10. shall appoint members and the President of the Constitutional Court. He may,
on the basis of a determination by the Constitutional Court, remove from of-
fice any of his or her appointees to the Court or sanction the arrest of such a
member of the Court, and through the judicial process authorize the initiation
of administrative or criminal proceedings against that member;
11. shall appoint, in accordance with the procedure provided in Article 95 of the
Constitution, the president and judges of the Court of Appeals and its chambers,
the courts of review, the courts of first instance and other courts, the deputy
prosecutors general and prosecutors heading the organizational subdivisions
of the office of the Prosecutor General; may remove from office any judge,
sanction the arrest of a judge and through the judicial process, authorize the
initiation of administrative or criminal proceedings against a judge and remove
the prosecutors that he or she has appointed.
12. is the Commander in Chief of the armed forces and shall appoint the staff of
the highest command of the armed forces;
13. shall decide on the use of the armed forces. In the vent of an armed attack
against or of an immediate anger to the Republic, or a declaration of war by
the National Assembly, the President shall declare a state of martial law and
may call for a general or partial mobilization. Upon the declaration of martial
law, a special sitting of the National Assembly shall be held;
14. in the event of an imminent danger to the constitutional order, and upon con-
sultations with the President of the National Assembly and the Prime Minister,
shall take measures appropriate to the situation and address the people on the
subject;
15. shall grant citizenship of the Republic of Armenia and decide on the granting
of political asylum;
16. shall award the orders and medals of the Republic of Armenia and grant the
highest military and honorary titles and diplomatic and other titles;
17. may grant pardons to convicted individuals.
Article 56 The President of the Republic may issue orders and decrees which shall be
executed throughout the Republic. The orders and decrees of the President of the
Republic shall not contravene the Constitution and the laws.
Article 57 The President may be removed from office for state treason or other high
crimes.
In order to request a determination on questions pertaining to the removal of the
President of the Republic from office, the National Assembly must appeal to the
Constitutional Court by a resolution adopted by the majority of the deputies.
A decision to remove the President of the Republic from office must be reached by
the National Assembly by a minimum two thirds majority vote of the total number
of deputies, based on the determination of the Constitutional Court.
Article 58 The acceptance of the resignation of the President of the Republic shall
be determined by the National Assembly by a majority vote of the total number
of deputies.
Article 59 In the event of the serious illness of the President of the Republic or of
insurmountable obstacles affecting the performance of his or her duties, upon the
recommendation of the Government and a determination by the Constitutional
Court, the National Assembly shall adopt a resolution on the incapacity of the
President of the Republic to exercise his or her duties with a minimum two thirds
majority vote of the total number of deputies.
Article 60 In the event that the office of the President of the Republic remains va-
cant and until a newly elected President assumes office the presidential duties shall
devolve onto the President of the National Assembly, and if that is not possible,
onto the Prime Minister. During this period it is prohibited to dissolve the National
Assembly, call a referendum, and appoint or remove the Prime Minister and the
Prosecutor General.
Article 61 The compensation, servicing and security of the President of the Republic
shall be prescribed by law.
ELECTORAL CODE
PART ONE
SECTION ONE: GENERAL PROVISIONS
CHAPTER 1.
FUNDAMENTAL PROVISIONS
Article 1: Electoral Bases

1. In accordance with Article 3 of the Constitution of the Republic of Armenia,
elections of the President, elections to the National Assembly, elections of the lo-
cal self-governing bodies of the Republic of Armenia are held through universal,
equal, direct suffrage, by secret ballot.
2. Citizens of the Republic of Armenia having the right to vote participate in elections
directly, by the expression of free will, on voluntary basis.
3. The state encourages that the elections of the President of the Republic, elections
to National Assembly, local self-governing bodies are held under competitive and
alternative principles.
4. The state holds responsibility for the preparation, organization and conduct of
elections, and for the legality of elections.
Article 7: Transparency of Elections

1. Elections are prepared and conducted in a transparent way.
2. Decisions of electoral commissions, national government and local self-governing
bodies, related to the preparation and conduct of elections are published in the
official press, within three days after the decisions have been taken.
3. In the course of the sessions of the commissions and during the voting, in the
way prescribed by this Code, the Chairman of Electoral Commission ensures the
participation of proxies, observers and the representatives of mass media, in the
activities of electoral commissions and ensures necessary and equal working condi-
tions for them.
4. Three days before the elections of the President of the Republic and to the Na-
tional Assembly the Central Electoral Commission publishes the total number of
the voters in the Republic of Armenia.
5. In the procedure prescribed by this Code, citizens are informed about the compo-
sition, location and working hours of Electoral Commissions, on the formation
of precincts and precinct centers, on the dates for presenting appeals about the
inaccuracies in the voter lists, on the nomination and registration of candidates, on
the day of voting and the election results.

6. On the voting day, the precinct electoral commissions shall transfer data to the
Regional Electoral Commissions periodically - every three hours - on the number
of voters that have participated in voting. Regional Electoral Commissions sum-
marize these data, make them public and periodically - every three hours - forward
them to the Central Electoral Commission. During national elections (Presidential
elections as well as regular and extraordinary elections to National Assembly are
considered to be national elections) the Central Electoral Commission, starting
from 11:00 a.m., regularly announces the data on the number of voters that have
participated in the elections. The last data are made public not later than 11:00 p.m.
The Central Electoral Commission officially publishes the final data on the number
of voters that have participated in the elections on the next day at 12:00 p.m.
7. During the sessions of the electoral commissions, as well as at any time during the
voting, proxies, accredited observers and the representatives of mass media have
the right to be present at the precinct center.
8. Immediately after the voting is completed, from 8:00 p.m. until the announcement
of the preliminary results of elections, periodically - every three hours - there shall
be live TV and radio transmission from the Central Electoral Commission.
CHAPTER 4.
PRE-ELECTION CAMPAIGN
Article 18: Basic Principles for Pre-Election Campaign

1. The state ensures the free implementation of citizens’ pre-election campaign. The
pre-election campaign is exercised on equal basis. It is ensured by the state bodies,
for the purpose of organization of pre-election meetings, meetings of candidates
with the electorate and other events related to elections, by providing them halls
and other premises, upon the request of electoral commissions. They are provided
to the candidates and parties, running in elections, on equal basis, free of charge, in
accordance with the timetable and procedures established by the Central Electoral
Commission.
2. Citizens, parties, party alliances (hereinafter party), and Non-Governmental Or-
ganizations of the Republic of Armenia have the right to campaign for or against
any candidate or party, by means not prohibited by law.
3. The candidates and parties are guaranteed equal conditions for access to mass
media.
4. It is forbidden to conduct the pre-election campaign and to disseminate campaign
documents of any kind to:
1) State and local self-governing bodies, as well as their staff while performing
their official duties;

2) Members and Judges of the Constitutional Court, officials of the Ministry of
Internal Affairs and National Security, officials of the Prosecutor’s office, and
the military;
3) Charitable and religious organizations;
4) Foreign citizens and organizations.
5. The election campaign commences on the day following the last day envisaged for
the registration of candidates and parties, and ends on the day prior to the day of
voting. Any election campaign is prohibited on the day of voting and the day prior
to it. Campaign documents, which are not at the precinct center, stay during the
day of voting in their places.
6. Pre-election campaign can be held through mass media, through electoral public
events (such as pre-election rallies and meetings with electorate, public electoral
discussions, debates, rallies, marches) by printing publications, disseminating au-
diovisuals.
7. During the pre-election campaign candidates and parties are banned from giving
(promising) - personally or through other means - money, food, bonds, and goods to
citizens free of charge or on privileged terms or rendering (promising) services.
8. The candidates and the parties are bound to observe the procedures for organization
of the pre-election campaign. Electoral Commissions oversee the observance of
the established procedure of the pre-election campaign. In the event of violation
of the procedures the commission that has registered the candidate or the party,
appeals to the relevant bodies, in order to prevent them, as well as to the Court
- to declare the registration of that candidate or party electoral list out of force.
The Court, after receiving such appeals from electoral commissions, has to pass
a judgment within five days period, and in case they are received within five days
prior to the day of voting - immediately.
9. The arrested or detained candidates carry out their pre-election campaign through
their proxies. For that purpose, in the period of the pre-election campaign, the ar-
rested and detained candidates have the right of having daily meetings, for up to
two hours, with not more than three proxies, at the institutions that have the right
to hold the arrested or the detained.
Article 19: Non-Allowance of Abuse of the Right of
Pre-Election Campaigning
During the pre-election campaign it is forbidden to call for the violent overthrow of
the constitutional order, racial, national, religious and other supremacy, publication and
dissemination of materials stimulating racial, national or religious hatred.
Article 20: Pre-Election Campaign through Mass Media

1. Candidates for the President of the Republic and the Parties registered by the
proportional system for the National Assembly have the right of paid and free of
charge airtime (including live broadcasting) on the state radio and television, on
equal conditions.
2. The Central Electoral Commission establishes the procedure for the provision of
free airtime on the state radio and television for candidates for the President of the
Republic and for the Parties that have presented party lists based on the proportional
system for the National Assembly.
3. Candidates and parties have the right to have airtime also on the
state local radio and TV companies, on equal conditions.
4. The heads of the official state periodical press shall ensure equal conditions for the
candidates and parties.
5. Pre-election campaign through mass media is implemented in the form of public
debates, round-tables, press conferences, interviews, political advertisements and
other forms not prohibited by the law.
6. It is forbidden to interrupt the radio and television broadcasts of pre-election
campaign with advertisements of goods and services.
7. It is forbidden to establish campaign headquarters at precinct centers, and within
seven days prior to the day of voting - campaigning at the precinct centers.
8. Television and radio broadcasts with pre-election campaign shall be video- and
audio-recorded. They are preserved for at least six months.
9. The state and local self-governing bodies, for the purpose of meetings, rallies and
assemblies, organized for pre-election campaigning, allocate required territories
to candidates and parties free of charge, according to the procedure established
by the Central Electoral Commission. It is forbidden to allocate historical-cultural
buildings and adjacent territories for such purposes.
Article 22: Prohibition of Influencing the Expression of Citizens’ Free Will

1. Reporters of state radio and television, staffs of the editorial offices that are reg-
istered as candidates are banned from highlighting the elections on the state radio
and television.
2. During the pre-election campaign, the officials and members of the state and local
self-governing bodies, as well as the employees of the state-owned mass media
are banned from making use of their powers (authorities) for creation of uneven
conditions between the candidates, or influencing the expression of citizens’ free

will, through prejudiced support. Whenever nominated as candidates these people
make use of the state-owned means of mass media in the procedure established
by this code.
3. It is forbidden to publish the results of public polls on the ratings of candidates
and parties within the last seven days of the pre-election campaign.
Article 23: Prohibition of the Pre-Election Campaigning on the Day of Voting
and the Day Prior to it
1. On the day of voting and the day prior to it, within the building where the precinct
center is located or in its vicinity, as well as right at its entrance, it is forbidden to
influence on the voters orally or in written form, through music or visual means,
to collect signatures, as well as to campaign in other ways.
2. Until the end of the voting it is forbidden to publish voters’ survey results with the
question on who they have voted for.
3. It is forbidden to assemble in groups on the day of the election in the area sur-
rounding the precinct center, in the radius of 50 meters.
Article 25: Pre-election fund

1. For the purpose of funding their pre-election campaign, candidates and parties
have the right to create a pre-election fund. The means of the election funds of
the candidates for the President of the Republic and parties are accumulated in the
Central Bank of the Republic of Armenia, and of the other candidates - in any bank,
operating on the territory of the Republic of Armenia (on a special account). The
means of the pre-election fund are managed by candidates and parties. Based on the
written application of the registered candidates and parties, banks open temporary
special accounts. Revenues are not accumulated or paid of these accounts.
Pre-election funds are formed from:
1) personal means of the candidate;
2) means allocated to the candidate by the party, which has nominated him/
her;
3) own means of the party;
4) voluntary contributions by physical and legal persons.
2. The following have no right to make contributions to the election funds:
1) state and local self-governing bodies;
2) budgetary institutions (organizations);
3) foreign physical and legal persons;
4) persons without citizenship;
5) those economic organizations, in the charter or share capital of which the

Republic of Armenia or its communities have a share;
6) those organizations which have foreign means in the amount of more than
30 per cent in their share capital;
7) charitable and religious organizations, international organizations and inter-
national non-governmental movements.
The amounts paid to the pre-election funds by the above-mentioned physical and
legal persons are transferred to the state budget.
3. The Central Electoral Commission establishes the procedure for voluntary contri-
butions to the pr-election funds.
4. This Code establishes the maximum amount of contributions to the pre- election
funds by physical and legal persons. Contributions exceeding the established amount
and the money left in the pre-election funds after the elections are transferred to
the state budget.
5. Means of the pre-election funds are spent through proxies of the candidate and
the party.
6. Those banks, in which special temporary accounts have been opened, periodically
- every three days - submit a notice to the relevant electoral commission on the
contributions made to the pre-election funds of candidates and parties. These banks
return the amounts exceeding the maximum amounts established by this Code, to
those having the right of making contributions to the pre-election funds.
7. If the candidate or the party besides the means of the pre-election fund uses other
means for the pre-election campaign, the Court, based upon the application of the
Central Electoral Commission, recognizes the registration of the candidate or the
party list as out of force.
8. All the transactions connected with the accounts of candidates’ and parties’ pre-
election funds are terminated from the day of voting.
9. The Central Electoral Commission can allow candidates and parties to make pay-
ments from the fund also after the voting day, for the transactions carried out before
the day of voting.
10. In the event of the elections being declared as not held, the means in the pre-elec-
tion funds are frozen until the registration of candidates and parties for the new
elections. The candidates and parties re-registered for new elections can use the
means left in their pre-election funds. In case the candidates or parties have not
been registered for new elections, the means left in their pre-election funds are
transferred to the state budget.
11. Not later than one month after the elections the candidates and parties submit a
declaration to the electoral commissions that had registered them, on the use of the
available amounts in their pre-election funds. The Central Electoral Commission
establishes the specimen of the declaration and the procedure for its submission.
The declaration is published in the procedure established by the Central Electoral
Commission.
CHAPTER 6.
PROXIES, OBSERVERS AND REPRESENTATIVES OF MASS MEDIA
Article 27: The Status of the Proxy

1. After the registration the candidates and parties, for the protection of their interests
in their relationship with the electoral commissions, state and local self-governing
bodies, organizations and mass media can have proxies. Only citizens of the Republic
of Armenia that have the right to vote can become proxies.
2. After the registration of candidates and party lists, sealed certificates are given to
the proxies, based on the submitted, but no more than three times the number of
precincts. Certificates are issued within five days after the request has been submit-
ted. The relevant commission states the candidate’s first name, last name, and the
name of the party, on the certificate. The candidate or the party leader fills out the
certificates and allocates them to the proxies.
3. The Central Electoral Commission establishes the procedure for the registration of
the proxies. The candidate or his/her authorized representative, the party leaders
can at any time recall their proxies and appoint the new ones, informing of it the
relevant electoral commission, in writing.
4. Members of the Constitutional Court, judges, employees of the Ministry of Internal
Affairs and National Security, Ministry of Defense, Prosecutor’s office, Tax Inspec-
tion and Customs Department, Social Insurance (services) agents, the military, the
clergymen, members of electoral commissions, heads of the state-owned means
of mass media and foreign citizens cannot become proxies.
Article 28: The Right of the Observation Mission

1. During the election the following have the right of observation mission:
1) international organizations,
2) representatives of foreign countries,
3) those Non-Governmental organizations of the Republic of Armenia and of
foreign countries, whose charter provisions include issues of democracy and
protection of human rights and who do not support the candidates or parties
2. The Central Electoral Commission establishes the procedure for performing the
observation mission.
Article 29: Accreditation of Observers

1. The organizations and persons mentioned in Article 28 of this Code can perform
observation after having been accredited with the Central Electoral Commission.
2. Requests for accreditation are presented to the Central Electoral Commission
starting from the day of assignment of elections, but not later than ten days prior
to the day of voting.
3. The Central Electoral Commission issues the credentials for performing of obser-
vation to the relevant organization not later than seven days after the request has
been received.
4. If the large number of the organizations that have applied for observation can cre-
ate technical difficulties for voting and vote count at the precinct centers, then the
priority is given to those organizations, that guarantee the conduct of observation
on all the territory of the Republic of Armenia.
5. In case if the observers, after having been accredited, support any candidate or party,
the Central Electoral Commission has the right to deprive the relevant organization
of the observation rights.
6. The observation rights of all organizations and persons are discontinued 10 days
after the end of elections.
Article 30: Rights, Responsibilities and Guarantees of Activity of Proxies,
Domestic and International Observers (Hereinafter Observers), and the Rep-
resentatives of Mass Media
1. Proxies, Observers, and the Representatives of Mass Media have the right to:
1) be present at the sessions of electoral commissions, and during the voting - at
the precinct center;
2) get familiarized, without impediments, with the electoral documents, ballot
specimens, decisions of electoral commissions, protocols of the sessions, to
receive their copies and to make excerpts;
3) appeal the decisions, actions or inaction of electoral commissions.
2. Proxies, observers, and the representatives of mass media have no right to intervene
in the work of electoral commissions.
3. One proxy of each candidate and party, running in National Assembly proportional
elections, can attend, with an advisory vote, the session of the electoral commission,
and during the voting.
4. On the day of voting proxies and observers monitor the work of electoral com-
mission. To that end they can present their remarks and proposals to the Chairman
of the Commission, who then takes appropriate measures.
5. No restriction of the rights of proxies, observers, and representatives of mass
media is allowed.
6. Proxies, observers, and representatives of mass media cannot be subjected to liability
for their opinion expressed on the course of elections and summarized results.
CHAPTER 12.
SUMMARIZATION OF THE ELECTION RESULTS, PROCEDURE FOR DE-
TERMINING THE INACCURACIES
Article 60: Procedure for Summarization of the Results of Voting and Deter-
mining the Inaccuracies at Precincts
1. The Chairman of the Precinct Electoral Commission bans the access of voters to
the precinct center at 8:00 p.m., enables the voters at the precinct center to vote,
closes the ballot box slot, invites asks all the persons not entitled to attend the ses-
sions of the Precinct Electoral Commission out, and closes the precinct center. After
these steps are performed the Precinct Electoral Commission starts the session for
summarization of the voting results. For that purpose:
1) unused ballots, wrongly marked by voters ballots and returned ballots are
counted, cancelled in the procedure established by the Central Electoral Com-
mission, and sealed;
2) the total number of voters is counted based on voter lists;
3) the number of voters, that have received ballots, based on the signatures available
in the voter list is counted; afterwards the above-mentioned lists are sealed;
4) the ballot box is opened.
2. The Chairman of the commission takes one ballot out of the ballot box, declares
not approved specimen of the ballot, the validity or invalidity of the ballot, and in
case the ballot is valid ballot - also who it is voted for. Upon request he/she shall
pass the ballot to the other members of the commission. In case a commission
member disagrees with the opinion of the Chairman, he/she submits an objection.
It is put to vote. In the event of the objection, based on the voting results, and in
case of no objection, in accordance with his/her statement the Chairman puts the
ballot in the pack of ballots for the particular candidate (party), “against all”, or
“invalid” ballots, after which takes the next ballot out of the ballot box. This action
is repeated for all the ballots available in the ballot box. During the implementation
of the assortment of the ballots the members of the commission are banned from
making notes, as well as having pens, pencils or other objects for making notes.
3. After the assortment of all the ballots available in the ballot box the Chairman, in
the presence of the members of the commission, one by one counts the invalid
ballots, ballots with votes against all, as well as the votes given for each candidate
(party). Based on the results, the total number of valid ballots of approved speci-
men and of votes given for the candidates is counted. The counted and assorted
ballots are wrapped and sealed, in the procedure established by the Central Electoral
Commission.
4. Afterwards the Precinct Electoral Commission, based on the data of the precinct
summarization protocol, compiles a protocol on the amount of inaccuracies. The
commission decides the amount of inaccuracies in the following way:
1) compares the number of ballots given to the Precinct Electoral Commissions,
with the total number of the ballots in the ballot box and the cancelled ballots.
The difference is noted as the amount of first inaccuracy;
2) compares the number of signatures in the voter lists with the number of the
ballots in the ballot box. The difference in absolute number is noted as the
amount of second inaccuracy;
3) the amounts of inaccuracies mentioned in sub-points one and two of this point
are added. The total is the amount of inaccuracies at that precinct;
5. Each activity envisaged in the points three and four of this Article are carried out in
the order mentioned, and each action is carried out after the previous one is over,
and a protocol has been compiled. On each of the mentioned actions a separate
protocol, in two copies, is compile and signed by the members of the commission
attending the session, one of the copies being wrapped and sealed together with
documents serving as a basis.
Article 63: Procedure for the Summarization of the Election Results at the
Central Electoral Commission
1. Based on the preliminary results of elections received from the Regional Electoral
Commissions the Central Electoral Commission, not later than 28 hours after the
completion of voting announces the preliminary results of elections, the number
of votes cast for each candidate, the total number of the voters and the amount
of inaccuracies.
2. Until the announcement of the preliminary results of the elections the session of
the Central Electoral Commission is not interrupted.
3. The Central Electoral Commission, whose session can be attended by persons
entitled to be present at the session, based on the complete final results of the elec-
tions in the Regions, not later than within 72 hours after completion of the voting,
and in case of the complaints in the Court, or Regional Electoral Commission on
the results of voting in the precincts - within five days, compiles the summarization
protocol of the election, entering the overall information and that by Regions:
1) the total number of the voters by voter lists;
2) the number of the registered voters, who have received ballots, according to
the signatures;
3) the number of ballots, allocated to the Precinct Electoral Commissions;
4) the number of cancelled ballots;
5) the number of valid ballots in the ballot boxes;
6) the number of invalid ballots;
7) the total number of the ballots in the ballot box;
8) the number of the ballots cast against all candidates (parties);
9) the number of votes cast for each of the candidate (party);
10) the total number of votes cast for candidates (parties);
11) the amount of inaccuracies.
4. The protocol is signed by the members of the commission attending the session;
it is sealed by the Chairman of the commission.
5. If any member of the commission has a special opinion on the data of the proto-
col, he/she makes a remark next to his/her signature and submits his/her written
opinion, which is attached to the protocol.
6. If any member of the commission refuses to sign the protocol, a note thereof is
made in the protocol.
7. Upon the request of the proxy of a candidate (party) or an observer they are pro-
vided with a copy of the summarization protocol on election results ratified by the
signatures of the Chairman and the Deputy Chairman of the commission and the
seal of the commission.
8. The preliminary summarization protocols of the elections of the President of
the Republic and elections to the National Assembly by proportional system are
compiled within two hours after the voting is completed.
9. The Chairman of the Central Electoral Commission, or upon his request one of
the members of the commission, after the voting is completed, makes a report on
the state television and radio, every three hours, on the current results of the elec-
tions of the President of the Republic and the elections to the National Assembly
by proportional system. Within three hours after taking a decision on the elections
of the President of the Republic and the elections to the National Assembly by
proportional system, the Chairman of the Central Electoral Commission, or upon
his request - one of the members of the commission makes a live report on the
state television and radio on final official results of the elections.
SECTION FOUR
ELECTIONS OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC
CHAPTER 13.
GENERAL PROVISIONS
Article 64: Electoral System

1. During the elections of the President of the Republic the entire territory of the
Republic of Armenia is considered as a single majoritarian constituency.
2. The President of the Republic is elected by an absolute majoritarian system, and
in the second round - by a relative majoritarian system.
Article 65: Requirements for Candidate of the President of the Republic

1. In accordance with Article 50 of the Constitution anyone, who has
attained the age of thirty-five years, who has been citizen of the Republic of Ar-
menia for the last ten years, who has been a permanent resident of the Republic
of Armenia for the last ten years and has the right to vote.
2. The same person cannot be elected to the office of the President of
the Republic for more than two successive terms.
Article 71. The Electoral Deposit of the Nominated Candidate for the President
of the Republic
1. The candidates nominated for the President of the Republic pay an electoral deposit
to the Central Electoral Commission account, opened in the Central Bank of the
Republic of Armenia, in the amount of 5,000 times the minimum salary, established
by the legislation of the Republic of Armenia. In the event of receiving five per
cent and more of the votes cast for the candidates, the sum of the electoral deposit
is returned within sixty days after the election results are summarized.
2. In the event of receiving less than five per cent of the votes cast for candidates
nominated for the President of the Republic the sum of the electoral deposit of
the candidate is transferred to the state budget.
3. In the event of recognizing the election as invalid or not held, the sum of the
electoral deposit is returned.
Article 79: The Pre-Election Fund of the Candidate for the President of the
Republic
1. For the implementation of the pre-election campaign the candidate for the Presi-
dent of the Republic can set up a pre-election fund on his own name or on the
name of his plenipotentiary representative in the Central Bank of the Republic of
Armenia, which is formed from voluntary contributions set forth in Article 25 of
this Code.
2. The amount of the personal contributions of the candidate to the pre-election fund
shall not exceed the minimum salary for 10,000 times.
3. The amount of the contributions by the party to the pre-election fund, which has
nominated the candidate, shall not exceed the minimum salary for 30,000 times.
4. The amount of expenditures by the candidates from their pre-election funds shall
not exceed the minimum salary for 60,000 times.
5. Each physical person can pay voluntary contributions in the amount of up to 200
times the minimum salary, and each legal person - up to 500 times the minimum
salary.
6. In the event of being elected as the President of the Republic, as well as in the
event of getting more than five per cent of votes cast for the candidate, the sum
of the electoral deposit is paid back; after the election, within one month of the
official publication of the election results, the means left in the pre-election fund
are transferred to the account of the party, upon whose nomination he/she was
registered, or they are used for charitable purposes. After the expiration of one
month the means left in the pre-election fund of the candidate are transferred to
the state budget.
7. In the event of receiving less than five per cent of the votes cast for the candidate,
the means left in the election fund of the candidate for the President of the Republic
and the electoral deposit are transferred to the state budget.
8. In the event of recognizing the elections as not held, the sum left in the pre-election
fund after the elections is frozen until the registration of candidates for the new
elections. The candidate registered for a repeated voting can use the means left in
the fund from the previous election.
9. The candidates registered to run for President of the Republic have the right to
use only the means of their pre-election fund for the pre-election campaign.
10. If a candidate has used means other than those of the pre-election fund for the
pre-election campaign, the Central Electoral Commission has the right to apply to
the Court, requesting to declare the registration of the candidate out of force. The
court takes a decision within five days, and in the period of five days prior to the
elections - immediately. In the event of recognizing the candidate’s registration as
out of force by the resolution of the court, the candidate’s name is removed from
the ballots, in the procedure established by the Central Electoral Commission.
Article 81: Pre-Election Campaign of the Candidate Nominated for the Presi-
dent of the Republic
1. The free of charge and paid pre-election campaign of the candidates for the
President of the Republic on state TV and radio is carried out in the procedure
established by the Central Electoral Commission.
2. The Central Electoral Commission ensures equal opportunities for candidates for
the President of the Republic for the use of free of charge and paid live airing time
on state TV and radio.
3. A candidate nominated to run for the President of the Republic has the right to
use not more than 60 minutes of free airing time on state TV, and not more than
120 minutes of free airing time on state radio.
4. A candidate nominated to run for the President of the Republic, or upon his consent
the party or initiative group, that has nominated him have the right to use the paid
airing time on state TV for not more than 120 minutes, and on state radio - for not
more than 180 minutes, at the expenses of the candidate’s pre-election fund.
5. Upon the consent of the candidate for the President of the Republic the party or
initiative group, that has nominated him, can also use the airing time.
6. The Central Electoral Commission guarantees 5 minutes of airing time on state
TV for each of the candidate on the day prior to the day of voting.
7. The Central Electoral Commission reimburses to the candidates, who have received
25 and more per cent of the votes cast in the elections, fifty per cent of the costs
during the pre-election campaign, from its means allocated for organization and
conduct of elections.
Article 83: Summarization of the Election Results

1. The Central Electoral Commission, based on the results of summarization proto-
cols of elections in regions, in the procedure established by Article 60 of this Code
summarizes the election results, and within the time frame established in point three
of Article 63 takes one of the following decisions:
1) on the election of the President of the Republic;
2) on conducting the second round of voting;
3) on recognizing the election as invalid and on the non-election of President;
4) on recognizing the election as not held and on the non-election of President.
2. The disputes over the decision of the Central Electoral Commission on the results
of the elections of the President of the Republic can be appealed to the Constitu-
tional Court of the Republic of Armenia not later than within seven days after the
official announcement of the results.
Article 84: The Decision of the Central Electoral Commission on the Election
of the President of the Republic
1. The Central Electoral Commission adopts a decision on electing the President of
the Republic the candidate, who has received more than half of the votes cast for
candidates.
2. In the event of one candidate running, he/she is considered as elected, if he/she
has received more than half of the votes cast.
Article 85: The Decision of the Central Electoral Commission on Conducting
the Second Round for the Elections of the President of the Republic
1. If more than two candidates were running, and none of them has received the
required number of votes, on the fourteenth day after voting the second round of
the election is conducted, with the two candidates having received more votes to
be running in it.
2. The candidate, who has received more votes in the second round, is considered as
elected.
3. In the event of one candidate running, he/she is considered as elected, if he/she
has received more than half of the votes cast.
Article 86: The Decision of the Central Electoral Commission on Recogniz-
ing the Election of the President of the Republic as Invalid
The election of the President of the Republic is recognized as invalid, at any stage,
if:
1) the amount of inaccuracies influencing the number of votes cast for the candidate
has significant impact on election results, i.e. it is impossible to restore the actual
election results and determine the elected candidate;
2) such violations of this Code have taken place during the preparation and conduct
of the elections, which could have influenced the result of the election.
Article 87: The Decision of the Central Electoral Commission on Recogniz-
ing the Election of the President of the Republic as Not Held
The election of the President of the Republic is recognized as not held, if:
1) The only candidate running has not received the required number of votes to be
elected;
2) The elected candidate has died before the summarization of the election results.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN CONDUCTING THE ELECTIONS OF THE

PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC
Article 88: Time frames for Conducting the Elections of the President of the
Republic
1. The election of the President of the Republic is conducted fifty days prior to the
expiration of the term of powers of the President of the Republic.
2. The Chairman of the Central Electoral Commission makes a statement on day of

the election of the President of the Republic on state TV and radio not later than
100 days prior to the election day.
3. The day of the election of the President of the Republic is declared a day-off.
PART THREE
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE.
LIABILITY FOR VIOLATIONS OF PROVISIONS OF THIS CODE
Article 139: Liability for Violations of Provisions of This Code

Liability cases, as established by the law, are below:
1) Registration in the voter lists in more than one precinct, voting more than once,
voting for another person;
2) Violation by the community head of the procedures and time frames of com-
pilation of the voter lists;
3) Falsification of the official lists of support of the candidates;
4) Falsification of the voting results;
5) Concealing the ballots, ballot-stuffing;
6) Distortion of the elections results on purpose;
7) Falsification of ballots and the stamps of the electoral commissions;
8) Falsification of protocols on the election and voting results;
9) Armed entry into the precinct center (not in the time of professional activi-
ties);
10) Taking the military in a marching line or with arms
11) Hindering the normal operation of the electoral commissions on purpose;
12) Election campaigning on the day of the voting and the day prior to it;
13) Hindering the free expression of the voters’ will;
14) Applying forced methods or insulting the member of an electoral commis-
sion, observer, proxy, representative of mass media, member of their initiative
group;
15) Hindering the election-related functions;
16) Stealing the ballot boxes;
17) Hindering the normal operation of electoral activities by members of the
electoral commissions, civil servants, or officers of the local self-governing

bodies;
18) Coercing the free expression of the voters’ will;
19) Violating the ballot secrecy;
20) Publication of the results of public polls on rating of the candidates during the
seven days period prior to the day of voting;
21) Tearing off or making graffiti on the election posters posted in specially allocated
for this purpose places;
22) Dissemination of false and libeling information about the candidates or par-
ties;
23) Deception of the person, incapable of marking the ballot independently;
24) Carrying out of pre-election campaign and dissemination of any type of cam-
paign materials by persons and organizations which don’t have the right to hold
pre-election campaign;
25) Hindering the normal process of the pre-election campaign;
26) Dissemination of anonymous printed campaign materials;
27) Failure to present declaration on the expenditures of the means from the pre-
election fund, by candidates and parties, according to the established proce-
dure;
28) Not returning the stamps of the electoral commissions;
29) Not ensuring equal opportunities for the candidates by the state means of mass
media;
30) Hindering proxies, observers representatives of mass media to get familiarized
with the specimens of ballots, decisions of electoral commissions, not submit-
ting the copies of decisions of Electoral Commissions, or not allowing to make
excerpts from them;
31) Not filling in or not properly filling in the register of electoral commissions;
THE LAW OF THE REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA ON

PRESS AND OTHER MASS MEDIA
(unofficial translation)
CHAPTER 1.
GENERAL PROVISIONS
Article 3. The Principles Guiding the Operation of the Press and Other Mass
Media
The press and other mass media shall be guided by the laws of the Republic of Ar-
menia, the principles of equality, humanism, diversity of opinion, tolerance, respect,
freedom of conscience and other universal values; they shall promote openness and
democracy, freedom of thought, speech and pluralism.
Article 4. The Right to Receive Information
The press and other mass media shall have the right to receive information from any
governmental agency, public and sociopolitical organizations and their leaders, unless
the release of such information would violate the charter of the organization in ques-
tion or the provisions of Article 6 of this Law.
The press and other mass media may also receive information from individuals.
Article 6. Unacceptability of Abuse of Freedom of Speech
The press and other mass media shall not be permitted to publish information con-
taining state secrets, a list of which shall be established by the Council of Ministers of
the Republic of Armenia.
Information which advocates war or violence, incites ethnic and religious hostility,
contains propaganda of pornography, drug abuse or other criminal offences as well as
false and unverified information shall not be published. Information concerning the
secret of adoption or the private life of the citizen shall not be published without the
consent of the citizen.
CHAPTER 2.
FOUNDATION OF THE PRESS OR OTHER MASS MEDIA, SUSPENSION
AND CESSATION OF THEIR OPERATION
Article 11. The Suspension of the Operation of the Press and Other Mass
Media
The operation of a printed or other mass medium may be suspended by a decision
of its founder; a court may decide to suspend the operation for three months in case
the medium has violated Article 6 of this law.
Article 12. The Cessation of the Operation of the Press and Other Mass
Media
A printed or other mass medium shall cease operation for six months if it commits
another breach of the law subsequent to a court ruling to suspend its operation.
A printed or other mass medium may cease to operate by the decision of its
founder.
CHAPTER 4.
THE RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF A JOURNALIST
Article 26. The Journalist
Under this law, a Journalist is a person who, as his or her lawful occupation, collects,
prepares or edits material for a mass medium and who has made a contract with the
mass medium or is authorized by another mass medium.
Article 27. The Rights of a Journalist
A Journalist has the right to
1. Collect and publish news and information.
2. Refuse to prepare an item if it is contrary to his or her beliefs.
3. Refuse to sign an article he or she has written or another item he or she has prepared
if its content has been distorted by the editor or the editorial board.
4. Make sound recordings, photograph, videotape, or record by other media unless
prohibited to do so by law.
5. Be present, after presenting his or her press card, at conventions, demonstrations,
other events, trials and scenes of natural disaster, as provided by law.
6. Use a pen name.
It is illegal to interfere with the journalist’s compliance with his or her professional
obligations,
Article 28. The Duties of a Journalist
A Journalist has the duty to
1. Comply with the law and the charter and guidelines of the editorial board that he
or she works for.
2. Report verified reliable information.
3. If the need arises, reveal the name of the persons that provided the information,
or its source if the information is being published for the first time.
4. Keep the editor informed of unverified facts and information, the publication of
which may violate the provisions of Article 6 of this Law.
Article 29. The Accreditation of a Journalist
Mass media, upon prior consent, may accredit their Journalist with state and public
organizations. A Journalist accredited by an organization shall have the right to observe
the work of the organization and to report on it.
Foreign Journalists shall apply for accreditation to the Foreign Ministry of the Re-
public of Armenia. The Ministry may withdraw a foreign Journalist’s credentials if he
or she violates the Constitution or the laws of the Republic of Armenia.
THE LAW OF REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA “ON

TELEVISION AND RADIO BROADCASTING”
(unofficial translation)
CHAPTER2.
ORGANIZING BROADCASTING
Article 11. Television and Radio Programs During Referendums and Elec-
tions
In the period preceding referendum and pre-election campaigns and in the duration
of such campaigns, television and radio programs shall be broadcast according to the
legislation on elections and referenda.
During the above-mentioned period, it is illegal to broadcast political or any other
campaign materials in the form of news, editorials, documentaries, columns or other
programs. Any pre-election campaign should be broadcast on television with the “Po-
litical Advertisement” or “Pre-election Campaign” subtitle constantly appearing on the
screen. In the case of radio programs, the fact that the program is part of a pre-election
campaign should be mentioned at least three times during each program.
During referendum and pre-election campaigns, television and radio broadcasting
companies shall publicly inform about their rates for airtime for political advertisement
and other campaign materials. Everyone shall use the paid airtime based on contracts,
and the conditions shall be the same for everyone.
CHAPTER 3.
TELEVISION AND RADIO BROADCASTING COMPANIES
Article 24. Unacceptability of Abuse of Television and Radio Programs
It is forbidden to use television and radio programs for the following:
a) Calls for a violent takeover of power, a violent change or overthrow of the consti-
tutional order;
b) Instigation of ethnic, religious or racial hostility or conflict;
c) Divulgence of state or other secrets protected by the law;
d) War propaganda;
e) Encouragement of criminal offences or other acts prohibited by law;
f) Dissemination of pornography;
g) Broadcasting programs that advocate violence or cruelty, humiliate human dignity
and have a negative impact on the education of minors;
h) Libel, violation of the rights and of the presumption of innocence of other per-
sons.
Exceptions may be made for the use and broadcasting of historical documentaries.
Erotic programs and horror films may be broadcast from 12 p.m. until 6 a.m. Excep-
tions may be made for encoded programs.
Article 26. The Consumer’s Rights with Respect to Access to Information
Information is accessible to all consumers unless a television or radio company has
restricted the access to information through encoding or otherwise, or has announced
the information to be restricted.
In cases when a television or radio company broadcasts to an unlimited number
of consumers and provides information free of charge, the consumer has the right
to use the service free of charge without prior notice to the broadcasting company.
In other cases the price and the conditions for the service are described in the con-
tract.
CANDIDATES 47
CANDIDATES:
BIOGRAPHIES AND PROGRAMS
We would like to draw the readers’ attention to the fact that the program highlights
given below are selected provisions from the candidates’ electoral programs. Most
candidates’ electoral headquarters only gave us the texts of those programs, prelimi-
nary versions in most cases, the last week before the beginning of the campaign. There
was the challenge of publishing all program provisions in the same style and format.
We have informed all electoral headquarters that we would have to summarize the
programs. Because of limitations in time, and our desire to make the Guide available
as soon as the campaign starts, the program summaries were not coordinated with all
the respective candidates.
Ruben AVAKIAN
United Armenians Party
Ruben Avakian was born in 1943 in Krasnodar region, Russia.

He graduated from military school and followed a course at the Dzerzhinsky Military
Academy in Moscow. In 1965-72, he worked at the Baikonur space base.
Avakian earned a degree from the Electrotechical Institute of Communication in
Tashkent; in 1981, he earned a PhD degree in Moscow.
In 1973-1993, he served in various law enforcement agencies of Soviet Armenia. In
1993-95, he served in the Armenian Army. At the Ministry of Defense, he established
and headed the International Law Department. After 1995, he established and headed
a similar department at the Ministry of National Security, from which he resigned in
2000 in the rank of Colonel of the National Security Service.
In 1997, he was appointed vice-director of the Yerevan Branch of the Moscow-based
New University of Law.
Avakian was elected chairman of the United Armenians Party in August 2000.
In 2002, he established the Mants University in Yerevan and has been it director
since.
Ruben Avakian has a wife and two children.
CANDIDATES 49
Program highlights Ruben AVAKIAN
• Home policy
Constitutional reforms aimed at clear distinction of the functions of legislative, execu-
tive and judicial powers.
Reforms of legislation and courts. Ensuring rule of law, equality of all the citizens in
front of the law, struggle against corruption.
• Foreign policy
The Armenian Cause (Hai Dat) will be a foreign policy priority. Armenia will establish
friendly relations with all neighboring countries and actively cooperate with CIS coun-
tries. Armenia will closely cooperate with Russia, Georgia and Azerbaijan, aiming to
establish stability in the Caucasus, and develop mutually beneficial relations with the
USA, China, EU, Iran, Turkey and other countries of the world.
• Karabakh
A fair resolution of the Karabakh conflict based on the national, state and strategic in-
terests of Armenia. The conflict should be solved in a peaceful way via negotiations.
• Relations with the Diaspora
The Diaspora is a priority: Armenia and its Diaspora need each other; Armenia’s de-
velopment will be difficult without the Diaspora’s support.
Adoption of dual citizenship.
• Economic policy
A big importance is attached to those sectors of industry and agriculture that enable
equal development of all the regions by decentralizing economic activity. Ecological
programs are also projected. The state will assist the development of small and medium
business in industry, agriculture, tourism and services.
• Social policy
Rehabilitation of free healthcare and education for underprivileged groups; struggle
against emigration and unemployment. Launching a project aimed at increasing women’s
role in society. Special attention must be given to the protection of young mothers;
increasing women’s involvement in government, NGO and political organizations.
• Culture, science and education
Solution of the problems faced by intellectuals and educational institutions. Attaching
great importance to spiritual/moral upbringing of the young generation; increasing
opportunities for free education at high schools.
Vladimir DARBINIAN
Communist Party of Armenia
Born in Achajur village in the Ijevan region of Armenia in 1931, Darbinian graduated
from the Yerevan State University with an MA in history in 1954. In 1976, he earned
an MA in law from the same University.
In 1954-57, he headed the Komsomol Committee of Ijevan city. In 1957-63, he was
deputy head and then head of the Central Committee of Armenian Komsomol. In 1963-
69, Darbinian was head of the Communist Party Committee of Hoktemberian city.
Darbinian was a deputy of the Supreme Councils of Soviet Armenia and the
USSR.
In 1969-75, he was Minister of Interior of Soviet Armenia. His military rank is Major
General. In 1975-91, he was Deputy Minister of Justice of Soviet Armenia.
In 1991-94, he was Head of the Union of Lawyers of Armenia.
In 1995 and 1999, he was elected to Parliament. In August 1999, he resigned from
parliament after being appointed Director of the Memorial Site of Sardarapat Battle
and. He held this post until August 2002.
In 2000, he was elected head of the Central Committee of the Communist Party
of Armenia.
Darbinian is a widower with two children.
CANDIDATES 51
Program highlights Vladimir DARBINIAN
• Home policy
Multi-party democracy, shift from a presidential republic to a parliamentary state, future
establishment of a people’s state in the form of Soviets (councils). Restoring the former
(Soviet) administrative-territorial division.
• Foreign policy
The independence of Armenia, i.e. the establishment of sovereignty and its strengthen-
ing. Armenia must get actively involved in integration within the post-Soviet space, up to
joining the ‘Russia-Belarus’ union. Integration into European structures is important.
• Karabakh
The problem can be solved through negotiations with equal participation of the three
parties in conflict. Nagorno-Karabakh must be recognized as a subject of international
law based on its right to self-determination. Acting of its own free will, the Nagorno-
Karabakh Republic must participate in the establishment of a new CIS.
• Economic policy
Economic policy is based on poly-structural economy with a priority of state property.
A state-regulated economy; restoration of a number of industries, such as the defense,
chemical, engineering, electronics and heavy industries into state ownership. The right of
private property shall mainly concern retail trade, public services and light industries.
In is expedient to prohibit sale of land, afford government support to the reinstatement
of collective farming alongside private farming.
It is necessary to suspend privatization, analyze its results in legal terms and begin na-
tionalizing property with the aim of gradually restoring the priority of state property
in the economic system.
• Social policy
Social justice and equality are national values. It is necessary to restore all social rights
and social welfare lost in the last decade. We must provide free education; guarantee
the rights to work, leisure and housing; restore social welfare for war veterans and all
underprivileged groups.
Development of education, fundamental science and culture will be a priority. State
support of art, culture, literature, education and research; a law on institutions and
agencies of special national value.
Stepan DEMIRCHIAN
People’s Party of Armenia
Stepan Demirchian was born in Yerevan in 1959. He has an engineering degree from
the Yerevan State Polytechnic Institute and a PhD in technical science.
He started his career as worker at an electrotechnical plant and gradually rose to
Deputy Head Engineer of ArmElectro Enterprises. In 1986, Stepan Demirchian be-
came Head Engineer of the Mars Plant of Controlling Devices, in 1988, the Director
General of Mars Enterprises. Currently, he directs the Mars Stock Company.
Two months after his father Karen Demirchian – the Soviet-time Armenian leader
elected Speaker of the National Assembly of independent Armenia – died in the ter-
rorist attack of October 1999, the Board of the People’s Party of Armenia, the party
founded and led by his late father, appointed Stepan Demirchan as acting Board Chair.
At the next conference of the party in June 2001, Stepan Demirchian was elected
Chairman.
Stepan Demirchian has a wife and three daughters.
CANDIDATES 53
Program highlights Stepan DEMIRCHIAN
• Home policy
Establishing civil society and rule of law, promotion of democracy. The state plays a
regulatory role.
Reforms of the current administrative-territorial management system; all major posi-
tions in local authorities must be elected, not nominated.
Absolute freedom of expression and press, regardless of the financial dependence of
a certain media upon the state or other sources. Making the media into a real Fourth
Estate.
• Foreign policy
A multilateral foreign policy. Relations with Russia are mainstream, demanding more
close and efficient cooperation. Participation in CIS integration. Establishment of
friendly relations with all neighboring countries, mutually beneficial cooperation with
the USA, EU and others.
• Karabakh
Ensuring the security of people living in Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh; creating
favorable conditions for free development and prosperity of the local people. A peace-
ful and fair solution of the issue via political negotiations.
Stronger cooperation with the Diaspora in solving issues of national importance. Adop-
tion of dual citizenship, elaboration of mechanisms for its implementation.
• Economic policy
The state shall supervise the economy. Rejection of the dogmatic privatization policy,
concentrating on making the economy more efficient, improving the living conditions
of the people.
Supporting small and medium businesses by placing state orders and securing favorable
tax rates and loans. Promotion of high-tech production, helping domestic producers
to export their goods. Supporting agricultural producers, fighting emigration from vil-
lages, assistance to frontier regions.
• Social policy
A stress on social security. Special attention to healthcare; strengthening families, pro-
tecting mothers and children.
Special attention to education and culture. Equal opportunities for all high school
students, free secondary education, free higher education on a competitive basis.
Artashes GEGHAMIAN
National Unity Party
Born in Yerevan in 1949, Artashes Geghamian received a degree from the Yerevan
Polytechnic Institute in 1971.
Geghamian joined the Communist party in 1972. In 1974-76, he was Komsomol
leader of the Polytechnic Institute; in 1976-78, he headed the student division of the
Central Committee of Armenian Komsomol.
In 1979-1986, Geghamian held various positions at the office of the Armenian Com-
munist Party. At the top of his career, he headed the Communist Party Committee of
the Mashtots district of Yerevan in 1987-89, and was Mayor of Yerevan in 1989-90.
In 1989-90, he studied at the Moscow-based Academy of Social Sciences, affiliated
with the Central Committee of the Communist Party.
In 1990, Geghamian quit the Communist party. In 1991-95, he was Director General
of the Prometevs stock exchange and of the 21st Century open stock company.
Since 1995, Geghamian is a member of the National Assembly where he leads the
Law and Unity faction since 1999. In April 1997, he founded the National Unity Party.
He ran for president of Armenia at the 1998 elections.
Geghamian is married and has two sons.
Born in Artashat, Armenia in 1958, Aram Harutunian earned an MA from the
CANDIDATES 55
Program highlights Artashes GEGHAMIAN
• Home policy
Overcoming the general crisis in Armenia.
Building a civil society in which the rights of citizens will be protected by the state, and
people will be able to have a direct impact on political decision-making.
Coordinating all reforms with the needs of national security.
A policy against corruption, including measures to combat conditions leading to cor-
ruption, creating mechanisms that reduce corrupt practices and produce a negative
public attitude towards corruption.
• Foreign policy
Establishing good relations with neighbors, Russia in the first place: economic inte-
gration with Russia, steps to integrate tax and customs laws and aim for a common
economic and financial environment.
Economic cooperation with Iran, a dialog with Turkey, restoring economic links to CIS
states, participation in regional economic projects, integration into European structures,
deepening relations with the US, reviving links to the Near East and Asia.
• Karabakh
No agreement on the status of Nagorno-Karabakh is valid if made without its par-
ticipation in the talks. Management of the conflict must be based on mutual compro-
mises between the two main parties, Nagorno-Karabakh and Azerbaijan. Armenia and
Azerbaijan have no territorial claims to one another. The OSCE Minsk group is the
best framework for peace talks.
• Diaspora
Establishing a non-government agency to regulate the relations between the Armenian
Diaspora and the government of Armenia; creating a tool for Armenians abroad to
participate in decision-making in the spheres of economy and politics and to hold
political responsibility
• Economic policy
We need to launch a new and targeted macroeconomic policy. Its main components
are tax reforms, control over the use and export of natural resources, development of
domestic demand and production, enabling free competition.
Some highlights of the new economic policy:
- Reducing credit rates for the real sector of economy
- Liberalizing the calculation of profit tax; a unified income tax rate and a high non-
taxed minimal income; tax amnesty
- Addressing the mistakes and breaches committed during privatization
- Deceasing all artificial measures to prevent bankruptcy of non-profit companies;
launching policies against monopolies

- A differentiated tax on land ownership and canceling all other taxes on farmers;
prohibiting the use of agricultural lands for other purposes; insurance of land
- Replacing the use of unrecoverable resources by the exploitation of recoverable
resources; implementing a Sevan lake rescue project
• Social policy
Protecting social security based on human rights and freedoms. National Unity believes
it is dangerous to make populist promises of greater welfare without explaining where
the welfare must come from. We must work for a social market economy, combining
market relations with social security. Refugees are a special priority.
• Education, sport and culture
Financing education is a state priority. We opt for universal primary education, high
rates of secondary education; increased pay to educators; state support to Armenian
schools abroad; supporting scientific projects, not bureaucratic structures; increased
financing of Armenian studies and fundamental science; updating educational programs
to market relations.
CANDIDATES 57
Aram HARUTUNIAN
National Conciliation Party
Department of Mechanics and Mathematics of Yerevan State University in 1980. He

continued his studies in 1975-1980 at the Moscow State University.
In 1991-99 Aram Harutunian was in the National Self-Determination Union.
In 1998-99 he was on the Presidential Commission for Constitutional Reform.
In 1999, he left the National Self-Determination Union. In 2000, Aram Harutunian
founded and chaired the National Conciliation Party.
He is married and has one son.
Program highlights Aram HARUTUNIAN
• Home policy
Promoting democratic values and their implementation. Creating a society of national
accord as a primary democratic value; supporting public cooperation; certain reforms
of the state and legislation. The implementation of the program’s goals will add to
the formation of a state that secures the right of people to live a dignified, prosperous
and secure life.
• Foreign policy
A flexible multi-lateral foreign policy: based on political dialogue, fostering friendly
relations with all countries, and especially neighboring ones. Constructive participation
in regional affairs and a mutually beneficial cooperation with international organiza-
tions.
• Karabakh
A commitment to peaceful and just resolution of the Karabakh conflict, raising the
efficiency of negotiations while ensuring the active participation of the Karabakh party
in the negotiations.
• Economic policy
The basis of the economic policy will be liberal conservatism, the practical and strategi-
cally important part of which will be improving the social conditions of the country’s
population.
Concrete procedures will be designed to formulate a whole system of cooperation
between the state and small-to-medium businesses. The sound use of this partnership’s
potential will make the core of national accord. The state will regulate this partnership,
smoothening the negative consequences of the tax policy and promoting the activity
of private companies. This will give wider possibilities of activity to small and medium
businesses by opening more jobs, which will, in its turn, cut down on shadow activity
in the private sector.
Steps aimed at consistent implementation of the income policy will enable the state
to efficiently play its economic role. In the appropriate legal field, a sound economic
system will emerge due to a coordinated effort of the government, enterprises and
trade unions.
Making more use of the economic, financial and intellectual potential of the Armenian
Diaspora by creating the necessary legal and moral conditions.
A consistent anti-monopolization policy that will boost economic and social progress
and promote economic competition.
The breaches in economic policy and its being non-systematic give rise to corruption and
economic crimes within the state agencies. Economic and legal reforms will create an
atmosphere in which corrupt practices will be considered immoral by all social strata.
CANDIDATES 59
• Social policies
The policy conducted in the social sector will aim to reduce the extreme polarization
of the society, i.e. to narrow the gap between the rich and the poor. The culture will
be regarded as the major factor of the nation’s survival and therefore the center of the
state’s attention. The projected social policy will make the health and education services
available to larger masses of the society. A social policy based on economic development
the will lead to the improvement of the living conditions of all social strata.
Raffi HOVANNISIAN
Born in Fresno, California, in 1959, Raffi Hovannisian graduated with a BA in History

and Near Eastern Studies from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). He
earned an MA in International Law and Diplomatic History from the Fletcher School
of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University, writing his thesis on the foreign policies
of Communist countries, and then continued his legal education and training at the
Georgetown University Law Center in Washington, D.C., where he was awarded the
Doctor of Law degree.
He was affiliated with the international law firms of Coudert Brothers, and Stroock,
Stroock, and Lavan. In 1989, he founded the Armenian Bar Association.
In 1990, Hovannisian moved to Armenia with his family and became the director of
the Yerevan office of the Armenian Assembly of America.
In 1991-92, Raffi K. Hovannisian served as the first Minister of Foreign Affairs of
the newly independent Republic of Armenia.
At present, Mr. Hovannisian resides with his family in Yerevan, Armenia, where he
directs the Armenian Center for National and International Studies (ACNIS) that he
founded in 1994.
Raffi Hovannisian is married to Arminé Khatchikian Hovannisian, who is also an
attorney. They have five children.
CANDIDATES 61
Program highlights Raffi HOVANNISIAN
• Home policy
All branches of power must be distinctly separated yet united in the duty to guarantee
the provision of freedom for the country and its citizens. The citizen, individually and
as a controlling concept, deserves full respect and, together with the president, is subject
to the rule of law alone. The executive, legislative, judicial, and unfettered informational
estates are, in check and in balance, guided by this principle. The president is account-
able to the public and in communication with it. The government, in coordinating the
domains that touch upon the national interest and that require federal concern, is the
foremost facilitator of civil liberties.
• Foreign policy
National security and international relations are interconnected concepts. The institu-
tional warranty of this national imperative is our compact armed forces; its basis and
solidarity is society itself, unarmed but well protected. Armenia and the Armenian
people are prepared to address matters of historical justice and modern controversy
in an open, genuine, and purposeful manner. We are ready and waiting And any at-
tempt to alter the existing regional status quo, whether in qualitative or spatial terms,
automatically entails an across-the-board and multilateral reassessment of that status,
en route to a shared horizon of substantive peace, mutual friendship, and joint security.
Genocide notwithstanding, we have the aspiration to normalcy and good relations
with all neighbors.
• Economic policy
In this arena as well, liberty is key, and the government endeavors at capacity to guaran-
tee the right of free economic activity under the law. Tax rates reflect the most modest
necessities of national and local budgets, not the immodest appetites of individual of-
ficials. Every one pays taxes pursuant to law, and rates decrease as collection becomes
universal. Corruption, in all forms and manifestations, is prosecuted with the ultimate
legal gravity. Armenia becomes a regional economic factor, a creator of jobs and a
reliable site for investments.
• Education, sport and culture
Science, education, modern technologies, national culture and sport no longer are mere items on
populist political platforms. These and related areas become the competitive field where
Armenia’s new generation stakes its claim. It is time to prepare the ground for this by
way of a multidisciplinary strategy anchored in individual initiative and state support.
Aram KARAPETIAN
Aram Karapetian was born in Yerevan in 1964. In 1985, he graduated from the
Department of Technical Cybernetics of Yerevan Polytechnic Institute. In 1988, he
earned a PhD from the Moscow Institute of Radiophysics and Electronics.
In 1996-99, he took a doctorate course at the Institute of Social and Political Research
at the Russian Academy of Sciences where he was awarded the Doctor of Political
Science degree.
Karapetian worked for the Russian Duma (Parliament) and led the Southern Depart-
ment of the National Security Council of Russia.
In 2002, he founded the Perspektiva Center for Strategic Studies in Yerevan.
Karapetian is married and has two daughters.
CANDIDATES 63
Program highlights Aram KARAPETIAN
• Home policy
For a sounder political field, all political parties must re-apply for registration. The
parliament shall be elected on proportional basis only.
Restoring the old regional administrative division of the country. Senior regional of-
ficials should be elected.
Fighting the clan system in the ruling circles of Armenia, struggle against corruption.
Creating a Financial Inspection Group affiliated to the ministry of finance and eco-
nomic development, with the task to inspect all financial operations and means in the
country, the financial flows into and from the country.
A free press the role of which is to criticize, not to discredit.
• Foreign policy
Overcoming communication obstacles by signing transit agreements with neighboring
Georgia. Conduct mutually favorable cooperation with Russia within the frames of the
‘Assets in exchange for Debts’ deal.
• Economic policy
Free economy and free market policy. Taxing privatized but disused plants in order to
press the owner to either restart the enterprise or sell it to an investor or the state.
Any kind of enterprise should be welcomed. Newly built enterprises should be freed
of taxes for ten years, and the re-launched ones, for 3 to 5 years. Heavy taxing and cut-
ting down the shadow economy will not secure all the necessary budget incomes. The
only way of meeting the budget is to develop the industry’s ‘locomotive’ six branches
and to ensure investments in these branches. A strategic economic development center
should be set up, the task of which will be to design programs for 10 to 15 years ahead
on such issues as which markets are beneficial to integrate into, setting the prices for
home products, where the Armenian products will be competitive, viewing the pos-
sibilities of cutting the inflow of certain foreign products to the local market etc. The
agency shall be affiliated with either the government or the president.
Promotion of inner competition, attracting investors, adopting anti-monopolization
laws.
Services should be taxed based on fixed rates.
A financial amnesty to bring back the capital that has been flowing out of Armenia
for years. No questions shall be asked about the origin of the capital or methods used
to earn it (except cases where the capital was obtained through murder or other grave
crime).
All the people who fled from Armenia due to persecution on the part of authorities
should be encouraged to return home and resume their activity.
Robertt KOCHARIAN
Born in Stepanakert, Nagorno-Karabakh in 1954, Robert Kocharian started work

at 17 as mechanic at the Stepanakert Electrotechnical Plant. He continued as worker
and mechanical engineer.
Since 1980, he occupied various Communist party posts in Nagorno-Karabakh.
In 1982, he earned an engineering degree from the Yerevan State Polytechnic In-
stitute.
In 1989, Kocharian was one of the founders of the Miatsum (Unification with
Armenia) movement and advisor to the Chairman of the Executive Committee of
Nagorno-Karabakh. In 1989 and 1990, he was elected to the Supreme Council of So-
viet Armenia and was on its Presidium. In 1991, he was elected to the first parliament
of Nagorno-Karabakh.
In 1992, Robert Kocharian was appointed Prime Minister of Nagorno-Karabakh
and Head of its State Committee on Defense.
In 1994, the Supreme Council of Nagorno-Karabakh appointed Robert Kocharian
as President. In 1996, he won the first presidential election in Nagorno-Karabakh in
a landslide.
In 1997, the first Armenian President Levon Ter-Petrossian appointed Robert Ko-
charian as Prime Minister of Armenia. After President Levon Ter-Petrossian resigned
in 1998, Robert Kocharian ran a presidential campaign against former Communist
leader Karen Demirchian, and won the second round of elections.
Robert Kocharian is married to Bella Kocharian. Their three children are currently
students at Yerevan State University.
CANDIDATES 65
Vazgen MANUKIAN
National Democratic Union
Born in Leninakan in 1946, Vazgen Manukian graduated from the department of

physics and mathematics at Yerevan State University in 1966 and went to Moscow to
continue his studies at Moscow University. Upon graduation he took a post-graduate
course in Novossibirsk, at the local subsidiary of the Academy of Sciences. In 1972 he
returned to Yerevan and started teaching at the Yerevan State University.
In February 1988 he joined the Karabakh Committee. On December 10, 1988, along
with other members of the Karabakh Committee, he was arrested and taken to Moscow
where he spent 6 months in jail.
Vazgen Manukian was one of the founders of the Armenian National Movement.
In May 1990 he was elected to the Supreme Council of Armenia.
In August 1990 he was appointed Prime Minister of Armenia. He resigned in 1991
and founded the National Democratic Union.
In September 1992 Manukian was appointed Minister of Defense. He resigned from
this post in August 1993.
In 1996 he ran a presidential campaign against Ter-Petrossian as joint opposition
candidate and lost in the first round, receiving 41.29% of the votes.
Currently he is the Chairman of the National Democratic Union, a Member of
Parliament and Head of the Center for Strategic Research.
Vazgen Manukian is married and has three daughters.
Program highlights Vazgen MANUKI-

AN
• Home policy
Changing the state structure in a way that will give people a possibility to supervise the
activity of the authorities.
Legal protection of human rights and dignity; securing rule of law, freedom of expres-
sion and free press; building civil society.
On the consent of the people, effecting a transition to a more efficient governance
system, i.e. a parliamentary state.
• Foreign policy
Preserving peaceful relations with neighboring countries; active participation in inter-
national cooperation; placing a priority on participating in international competition in
every sphere. Making a considerable contribution to the development of the world’s
civilization.
• Karabakh
Achieving the recognition of Karabakh’s independence via political negotiations. The
goal will require flexible foreign policy, taking into consideration the interests of regional
superpowers. Restructuring the army and building a strong economy, thus depriving
the rival country of any possibility of solving the issue by force.
Adopting a law on dual citizenship, which will foster the involvement of Diaspora in Ar-
menian domestic life. Developing relations with the Armenian Diaspora worldwide.
• Economic policy
Special attention to modern technology. Favorable taxation, loan and investment poli-
cies for certain branches of the industry. Protection of the domestic market, creating
privileges for export of domestic products. Integration into international trade and
economic cooperation programs. Based on this, opening better-paid jobs, thus reducing
emigration and boosting repatriation. Using foreign financial aid to the benefit of the
country’s economy and ensuring the development of Armenia’s own banking system.
Protecting farming, creating favorable conditions for the export of agricultural products.
A policy that will give farmers larger land areas for effective cultivation. Simplifying the
taxing system, combating shadow economy by countermanding corrupt practices and
the atmosphere of impunity. Securing conditions for equal and fair competition, which
will promote financial investments and development of private entrepreneurship as a
pledge of economic development.
Securing the growth of the state budget based on industrial incomes, revenues from
CANDIDATES 67
privatization of state-owned enterprises, elimination of shadow economy and creating

favorable conditions for private businesses.
• Social policy
Raising pensions and salaries paid from the state budget; free healthcare; improvement
of the education system; paying back money owed to depositors of the Savings Bank
of Soviet Armenia. Securing the welfare of Armenian citizens via social programs
subsidized from the state budget.
Garnik MARKARIAN
“Motherland and Honor” Union
Markarian was born in 1944. After school, he served in the army and then went to mili-
tary school. In 1982 he graduated from a course at the USSR Academy of Interior.
Markarian took active part in the self-determination movement in Nagorno-Kara-
bakh.
In January 1993, he resigned from the post of Head of the Management Office of
the Armenian Ministry of Interior in the rank of KGB Colonel.
In 1995 he was arrested; the case was later closed for lack of content.
Garnik Markarian is Chairman of the “Motherland and Honor” Union.
He is father of two and grandfather of three.
CANDIDATES 69
Program highlights Garnik MARKARIAN
• Home policy
The only solution to Armenia’s problems is a complete obliteration of the current ad-
ministration and its replacement by democratic socialism. Armenian social democrats
believe that the future lies with a democratic socialist republic.
• Foreign policy
Development of Russian-Armenian relations will be given priority, based on a strate-
gic partnership ruled by the following principle: ‘Russian-Armenian relations should
progress as far as possible and expedient. Relations with other countries should prog-
ress to the extent that they contribute to the development of Russian-Armenian ties’.
Preventing the NATO from expanding eastward, averting the integration of Armenia
and other Caucasus sates into the NATO, making efforts to expel the NATO from
the Russian territory.
• Karabakh
The Karabakh problems should be viewed as an integral component of the Armenian
Cause (Hai Dat). Struggle for achieving international recognition of Karabakh’s inde-
pendence. A future union between Armenia and Karabakh.
Adopting principles and criteria for Armenia-Diaspora relations that would make their
cooperation a source of power. Encouraging Diaspora Armenians to do business in
the Armenian domestic market.
• Economic policy
Democratic socialist economy is based on the equality of all types of property, whether
state, collective or private. The goal is to restore a profitable economy, cut down state
expenditures, combat shadow economy, improve taxing and customs systems, fight
illegal outflow of capital from the country. The land must belong to the state and be
managed by local government agencies, which will lease it to farmers.
Creating reserves of basic consumption goods, securing a foreign market for them.
Setting up cooperation between the state and private entrepreneurs in the form of mu-
tual supplies, coordination of prices, joint production. Opening free economic zones,
granting privileges to the domestic producer, promoting investments.
• Social policy
A flexible policy of paying salaries from state budget, narrowing the gap between the
rich and the poor. Adopting a law to set up state programs of aid to underprivileged
families, elderly and homeless people, single mothers, orphans etc. Free healthcare for
the majority of the population. The state distributes humanitarian aid and supervises
charities.
Free education, obligatory secondary education (8 years min.). Alongside state schools
and high schools, establishment of private schools, which should not be businesses
but real educational institutions.
Aram SARKISSIAN
Democratic Party of Armenia
Born in Yerevan in 1949, Aram Sarkissian graduated from the Brussov Institute of
Languages in 1972. As a student, he worked as reporter first for a factory newsletter and
later for Komsomolets daily. In 1972-74 took a master’s course in journalism in Moscow;
was reporter for Komsomolskaya Pravda daily in 1974.
In 1976, Sarkissian headed a division at the Central Committee of Armenian Kom-
somol; in 1978 he was appointed department instructor at the Central Committee of
the Armenian Communist Party.
Sarkissian was Armenian stringer for Komsomolskaya Pravda daily in 1979-1989; for
Pravda, in 1989.
Was elected member of the Central Committee of the Armenian Communist Party
in November 1990; headed the Central Committee since June 1991.
In September 1991, the Board of the Democratic Party of Armenia elected Aram
Sarkisian as Chairman of the Party.
In 1996, he joined other opposition leaders in founding the National Conciliation
Union. He ran for RA President in 1996 but withdrew his candidacy in favor of the
joint opposition candidate.
He was Foreign Policy Advisor of the President in May 1998 – June 1999.
Sarkisian is married and father of three.
CANDIDATES 71
Program highlights Aram SARKISSIAN
• Home policy
The only solution to Armenia’s problems is a complete obliteration of the current ad-
ministration and its replacement by democratic socialism. Armenian social democrats
believe that the future lies with a democratic socialist republic.
• Foreign policy
Development of Russian-Armenian relations will be given priority, based on a strate-
gic partnership ruled by the following principle: ‘Russian-Armenian relations should
progress as far as possible and expedient. Relations with other countries should prog-
ress to the extent that they contribute to the development of Russian-Armenian ties’.
Preventing the NATO from expanding eastward, averting the integration of Armenia
and other Caucasus sates into the NATO, making efforts to expel the NATO from
the Russian territory.
• Karabakh
The Karabakh problems should be viewed as an integral component of the Armenian
Cause (Hai Dat). Struggle for achieving international recognition of Karabakh’s inde-
pendence. A future union between Armenia and Karabakh.
Adopting principles and criteria for Armenia-Diaspora relations that would make their
cooperation a source of power. Encouraging Diaspora Armenians to do business in
the Armenian domestic market.
• Economic policy
Democratic socialist economy is based on the equality of all types of property, whether
state, collective or private. The goal is to restore a profitable economy, cut down state
expenditures, combat shadow economy, improve taxing and customs systems, fight
illegal outflow of capital from the country. The land must belong to the state and be
managed by local government agencies, which will lease it to farmers.
Creating reserves of basic consumption goods, securing a foreign market for them.
Setting up cooperation between the state and private entrepreneurs in the form of mu-
tual supplies, coordination of prices, joint production. Opening free economic zones,
granting privileges to the domestic producer, promoting investments.
• Social policy
A flexible policy of paying salaries from state budget, narrowing the gap between the
rich and the poor. Adopting a law to set up state programs of aid to underprivileged
families, elderly and homeless people, single mothers, orphans etc. Free healthcare for
the majority of the population. The state distributes humanitarian aid and supervises
charities.
Free education, obligatory secondary education (8 years min.). Alongside state schools
and high schools, establishment of private schools, which should not be businesses
but real educational institutions.
Aram SARKISSIAN
Hanrapetutiun (Republic) Party
Aram Sarkissian was born in Ararat village, Armenia in 1961. In 1977-80, he studied
at the Terlemezian School of Art. In 1989, he graduated from the Department of
Architecture and Construction of the Yerevan Polytechnic Institute.
In 1989-93, he worked at AraratStroy (Ararat Construction) trust, first as division
leader, then head of laboratory and finally head engineer. At the same time, he taught
at the Industrial Technological School in Ararat.
In 1993, he became Assistant Director General and in 1998, Director General of
AraratCement.
Sarkissian was Prime Minister of Armenia in November 1999 - May 2000, after which
he returned to his post in AraratCement.
Aram Sarkissian is a member of the Yerkrapah Volunteers Union. In 1999-2001, he
was in the Republican Party of Armenia. In March 2001, he left the Republican Party
founded Hanrapetutiun (Republic) party.
Aram Sarkissian is married and has three children.
CANDIDATES 73
Program highlights Aram SARKISSIAN
• Home policy
The hope of the country is the opposition, which needs to unite, approach the reality
pragmatically and act practically. An atmosphere of accord and tolerance should be
established in the country. Scheming, inter-party conflicts and breaking up of parties
should come to an end.
• Foreign policy
A balanced complementary foreign policy, sticking to agreements and ties which add
to the security of the Armenian nation, and which are beneficial to us in terms of both
geopolitics and civilization.
• Karabakh
The choices lie with the population of Nagorno-Karabakh. Karabakh authorities should
decide how far to compromise. Armenia shall support Karabakh.
• Economic policy
An economic breakthrough for Armenia. Giving priority to developing high-tech tech-
nologies and entering international markets. State assistance to modern technology;
tax privileges for foreign investors; using the country’s human and scientific-technical
resource for information technologies and other modern technologies.
An economy-boosting policy including a sound taxing and investment system. Res-
toration of the traditional branches of scientific research, this time based on modern
technology. Modernizing electronics and engineering.
Developing the stock market and using it to mobilize and re-distribute assets.
A new policy of loans; efforts to attract foreign investments and promote export of
domestic products.
USEFUL INFORMATION
GOVERNMENT
President’s Office Chairman Artak Sahradian

President Robert Kocharian 21a G. Kochar St., Yerevan 375009
26 Marshal Baghramian Ave., Yerevan Tel: 53 94 20, 53 96 74
375019 Web site: www.elections.am
Secretariat: tel: 58 87 26, 58 87 46 E-mail: webmaster@elections.am
Web site: www.president.am Head of Press Service Lilit Sedrakian
Press Secretary Vahe Garbielian Tel: 54 35 07
Tel: 58 87 24, 52 23 64
E-mail: vahegab@president.am Central Bank of Armenia
Chairman Tigran Sargsian
National Assembly 6 Vazgen Sargsyan St., Yerevan 375010
Speaker Armen Khachatrian Tel: 58 38 41, 56 15 54, fax:52 38 52
19 Marshal Baghramian Ave., Yerevan Web site: www.cba.am
375019 Email: webmaster@cba.am
Secretariat: tel: 52 46 14 Head of Press Service Zaruhi Bar-
E-mail: lata@parliament.am seghian
Web site: www.parliament.am Tel: 58 00 52
Head of Press Service Anahit Adamian
Tel: 52 74 00, 58 83 12 Government
Prime Minister Andranik Margarian
Constitutional Court 1st Government House, Republic Square,
Chairman Gaghik Harutiunian Yerevan 375010
10 Marshal Baghramian Ave., Yerevan Secretary: tel: 58 76 01
375019 Web site: www.gov.am
Secretariat: tel: 52 96 55 Head of Information and Public Rela-
E-mail: armlaw@concourt.am tions Department Mary Harutiunian
Web site: www.concourt.am Tel: 52 74 02, 52 87 12
Head of Press Service Hovhannes
Papikian
Tel: 58 81 25
Central Electoral Commission
USEFUL INFORMATION 75
MINISTRIES
Ministry of Agriculture Web site: www.nature.am

Minister David Zadoyan E-mail: mnp@mnpiac.am
48 Nalbandian St., Yerevan 375010 Press Secretary Artsrun Pepanian
Tel: 52 46 41, 52 93 33 Tel: 53 61 87
Media Secretary Vahag Martirosian E-mail: public@mnpiac.am
Tel: 52 63 94
Ministry of Finance and Economy
Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport Minister Vardan Khachatrian
Minister Roland Sharoyan 1 Melik-Adamian St., Yerevan 375010
5 Tumanian St., Yerevan 375010 Tel: 59 53 02, 52 42 82
Tel: 52 93 49, 52 39 22 Responsible for Media Relations Irina
Press Secretary Karine Grigorian Ayvazian
Tel: 52 15 17 Tel: 59 53 62
Ministry of Defense Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Minister Serge Sargsian Minister Vardan Oskanian
36 Gevorg Chavush St., Yerevan 2nd Government House, Republic
375088 Square, Yerevan 375010
Tel: 52 04 81, 28 40 69 Tel: 52 35 31, 52 45 36
Press Secretary Seiran Shahsuvarian Web site: www.armeniaforeignministry.
Tel: 28 02 13 com
E-mail: info@ArmeniaForeignMinistry.
Ministry of Education and Science com
Minister Levon Mkrtchian Spokesperson Dziunik Aghajanian
13 Movses Khorenatsi St., Yerevan Tel: 54 40 41
375010 E-mail: ckm@arm.r.am
Tel: 52 66 02, 52 06 32
Press Secretary Lilit Karapetian Ministry of Health
Tel: 52 57 81 Minister Ararat Mkrtchian
8 Tumanian St., Yerevan 375010
Ministry of Energy Tel: 58 24 13, 52 06 52
Minister Armen Movsisian Web site: www.armhealth.am
2nd Government House, Republic E-mail: administrator@armhealth.am
Square, Yerevan 375010 Press Secretary Ruslana Gevorgian
Tel: 52 19 64, 52 37 34 Tel: 56 53 23
Press Secretary Lusine Harutiunian
Tel: 52 88 48 Ministry of Justice
Minister David Harutiunian
Ministry of Environment 8 Vazgen Sargsian St., Yerevan 375010
Minister Vardan Ayvazian Tel: 58 21 57, 52 34 17
35 Moskovian St., Yerevan 375002 Press Secretary Ara Saghatelian
Tel: 52 10 99, 53 33 72 Tel: 58 25 81
Ministry of Social Welfare Responsible for Media Relations Nune

Minister Razmik Martirosian Pluzian
69 Terian St., Yerevan 375009 Tel: 52 52 74
Tel: 52 68 31, 56 53 83
Web site: www.mss.am Ministry of Trade and Economic
Head of Press Service Hasmik Kha- Development
chatrian Minister Karen Chshmaritian
Tel: 52 68 31 5 Hanrapetutian St., Yerevan 375010
Tel: 52 61 34, 52 65 77
Ministry of State Property Manage- Press Secretary Anahit Khechoyan
ment Tel: 58 95 03
Minister David Vardanian
2nd Government House, Republic Ministry of Transportation and Com-
Square, Yerevan 375010 munication
Tel: 52 18 77, 52 65 57 Minister Andranik Manukian
Web site: www.privatization.am Union Building, Republic Square, Yere-
E-mail: tender@privatization.am van 375010
Press Secretary Manuk Ter-Stepanian Tel: 52 66 52, 56 05 28
Tel: 58 14 41 Press Secretary Tamara Ghalechian
Tel: 56 63 03
Ministry of Regional Government
and Coordination of Infrastructures’ Ministry of Urban Planning
Operation Minister David Lokian
Minister Hovik Abrahamian 3rd Government House, Republic
1st Government House, Republic Square, Yerevan 375010
Square, Yerevan 375010 Tel: 58 90 80, 56 51 80
Tel: 52 52 74, 52 12 65 Press Secretary: tel: 56 03 81
SERVICES AFFILIATED WITH THE RA GOVERNMENT
Police National Security Service

Head Haik Harutyunian Head Karlos Petrosian
130 Nalbandian St., Yerevan 375010 104 Nalbandian St., Yerevan 375010
Tel: 56 09 52, 52 03 10 Tel: 52 97 33, 52 58 91
Head of PR department Artak Vardaz- Head of PR department Armenak
arian Manukian
Tel: 52 38 58 Tel: 52 99 71
EMBASSIES
Republic of Belarus Federal Republic of Germany

Ambassador Valery Sisoyev Ambassador Hans-Wulf Bartels
23 Abovian St., Apt 23, Yerevan 29 Charents St., Yerevan 375025
375010 Tel: 52 32 79, 58 65 91, 52 45 81, fax:
Tel: 59 73 09, fax: 56 70 18 52 47 81
E-mail: armenia@arminco.com E-mail: germemb@arminco.com
Republic of Bulgaria Hellenic Republic

Ambassador Ivan Ivanchev Ambassador Antonios Vladianos
11 Nor Aresh St., h.85, Yerevan 12 Proshian St., Yerevan 375002
375041 Tel: 53 00 51, 53 67 54, fax: 53 00 49
Tel: 45 82 33, fax: 45 46 02, E-mail: grembarm@arminco.com
E-mail: bularm@arminco.com
Republic of India
People’s Republic of China Ambassador Deepak Vohra
Ambassador Zuo Xueliang 50/2 Pionerakan St., Yerevan 375019
12 Marshal Baghramian Ave., Yerevan Tel: 53 82 88, fax: 53 39 84
375019 E-mail: inemyr@arminco.com
Tel: 56 00 67, 56 12 34, fax: 54 57 61
E-mail: chiemb@mbox.arminco.com Republic of Iraq
Ambassador Tarik Yahya
Arab Republic of Egypt 24 Sevastopolian St., Yerevan 375028
Ambassador Bakry Roushdy Elammary Tel: 26 12 23, fax: 26 13 22
6a Sepuhi St., Yerevan 375033
Tel: 22 67 55, 22 01 17, 54 13 52 Islamic Republic of Iran
fax: 22 64 25 Ambassador Mohammad Farhad
E-mail: egyemb@arminco.com Koleini
1 Budaghian St., Yerevan 375051
French Republic Tel: 28 04 57, 23 29 20, 23 29 52, fax:
Ambassador Henry Cuny 23 00 52
8 Grigor Lousavorich St., Yerevan Web site: www.iranembassy.am
375015 E-mail: info@iranembassy.am
Tel: 56 11 03, 56 46 67, 58 35 11
E-mail: admin@ambafran.am Italian Republic
Web site: www.ambafran.am Ambassador Paolo Andrea Trabalza
Movses Khorenatsu St., 1st Pakughi,
Georgia Yerevan 375010
Ambassador Nikoloz Nikolozishvili Tel: 54 23 35, fax: 54 23 01
42 Arami St., Yerevan 375010 E-mail: ambitaly@arminco.com
Tel: 58 55 11, 52 35 67, fax: 56 41 83
E-mail: georgia@arminco.com
Lebanese Republic
Ambassador Toni Badawi Syrian Arab Republic
7 Vardanants St., Yerevan 375010 Ambassador Faiz Absse
Tel: 52 65 40, 56 14 96, 58 98 74, fax: 14 Marshal Baghramian Ave., Yerevan
52 69 90 375019
E-mail: libarm@arminco.com Tel: 52 40 28, 52 40 36, 52 90 23, fax:
52 40 58
Permanent Mission of Nagorno- E-mail: syria.em.arm@netsys.am
Karabakh
Permanent Representative Arman Turkmenistan
Melikian Ambassador Toily Kurbanov
11 Moskovian St., Yerevan 375010 72 Dzorapi St., 12th floor, “Hrazdan”
Tel: 52 64 28, fax: 58 71 91 hotel, Yerevan 375002
Web site: www.nkr.am Tel: 53 83 56, 53 77 05, fax: 53 05 12
E-mail: ankr@arminco.com E-mail: serdar@arminco.com
Republic of Poland Ukraine

Ambassador Petr Ivashkevich Ambassador Vladimir Tyaglo
44a, Hanrapetutyan St., Yerevan 58 Yerznkian St., Yerevan 375033
375010 Tel: 58 68 56; fax: 22 74 02,
Tel: 54 24 93, 54 24 95, fax: 54 24 98, E-mail: ukremb@internet.am
54 24 96 Web site: www.erevan.am/ukrembassy
E-mail: polemb@arminco.com
United Kingdom of Great Britain
Romania and Northern Ireland
Consul Dorin Chimpoeshu Ambassador Thorda Abbott-Watt
3 Sepuhi St., Yerevan 375010 28, Charents St., Yerevan 375070
Tel: 27 47 01, 26 52 07, fax: 54 41 44 Tel: 54 38 22, 54 38 32, 55 30 81, 57 01
87, fax: 54 38 20
Russian Federation E-mail: britemb@arminco.com
Ambassador Anatoliy Dryukov
13a Grigor Lousavorich St., Yerevan United States of America
375015 Ambassador’John Ordway
Tel: 56 74 27, 58 98 43, fax: 56 71 97, 18 Marshal Baghramian Ave., Yerevan
58 24 63 375019
E-mail: rossia@arminco.com Tel: 52 46 61, 52 16 11, 52 07 91, fax:
Web site: www.armenia.mid.ru 52 08 00
Web site: www.armeniaemb.org
E-mail: usinfo@arminco.com
INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
The British Council 325-326, Yerevan 375010

Director Roger Budd Tel: 54 58 34, 52 89 60, fax: 54 58 33
28 Charents St., Yerevan 375025 E-mail: imf@arminco.com
Tel: 55 99 23, fax: 55 99 24
Web Site: www.britishcouncil.org IOM
E-mail: Roger.Budd@britishcouncil.am Officer-in-charge Ovsanna Babayan
14 Karl Liebknecht St., Yerevan
Eurasia Foundation 375010
Country Director Artashes Kazakhet- Tel: 58 56 92, 54 33 65, fax: 58 37 86
sian E-mail: iom@arminco.com, iom@acc.
4 Demirchian St., Yerevan 375019 am
Tel: 56 54 78, 58 60 59, fax: 58 61 59
E-mail: eurasia@eurasia.am Open Society Institute-Armenia
Executive Director Larisa Minasian
European Bank For Reconstruction 1 Pushkin St., Apt.2, Yerevan 375010
And Development (EBRD) Tel: 54 17 19, 54 21 19, fax: 54 39 01
Head of Office Nikolai Hadjiuski Web site: www.osi.am
20/1 Marshal Baghramian Ave., Yere- E-mail: office@osi.am, mlarisa@osi.am
van 375019
Tel: 54 04 25, 54 04 26, fax: 54 04 30 OSCE
Web site: www.ebrd.com Ambassador and Head of Office Roy
E-mail: petrossa@evn.ebrd.com S. Reeve
60 Zarobian St., Yerevan 375019
International Committee of the Red Tel: 56 11 38, 54 10 65, fax: 54 58 45
Cross E-mail: osce@osce.am
Head of Delegation Frank Kuenzi
41 Orbeli St., Yerevan 375028 Swiss Agency for Development and
Tel: 27 31 52, 26 29 03, fax: 28 81 60 Cooperation (SDC)
E-mail: icrcerea@arminco.com Representative Zara Allahverdian
8 Aygestan St., Yerevan 375015
International Foundation For Elec- Tel: 57 02 31
tion Systems (IFES) E-mail: sdc@arminco.com
Project Director Albert Decie
9 Alek Manukian St., 5th floor, Yerevan USAID
375070 Mission Director Keith Simmons
Tel: 51 20 51, fax: 51 20 15 18 Marshal Baghramian Ave., Yerevan
Web site: www.ifes.am 375019
E-mail: ifes@ifes.am , trainer@ifes.am Tel: 52 99 75, 58 61 63, fax: 56 96 56
Web site: www.usaid.gov
International Monetary Fund E-mail: wmaster@usaid.gov
Representative James McHugh
1 Melik-Adamian St., 3rd floor, rooms
UNDP World Bank

Resident Representative Joel Boutroue Head of Yerevan Office Roger Rob-
14 Karl Liebknecht St., Yerevan inson
375010 19 Vazgen Sargsian St., Yerevan 375010
Tel: 56 60 73, 58 31 94, 56 03 40 Tel: 52 09 92, 52 78 88, fax: 52 17 87
Web site: www.undpi.am E-mail: vsargsyan@worldbank.org
UNHCR World Health Organization

Representative Lloyd Dakin Representative Hrair Aslanian
14 Karl Liebknecht St., Yerevan 8 Tumanian St., room 509, Yerevan
375010 375010
Tel: 56 47 71 Tel: 56 43 51, fax: 56 25 98
E-mail: ito@unhcr.ch Web site: www.who.dk
E-mail: who@armhealth.am
UNICEF
Representative Branislav Jekich
14 Karl Liebknecht St., Yerevan
375010
Tel: 52 35 46, 56 64 97, fax: 54 38 10
Web Site: www.unicef.org
E-mail: yerevan@unicef.org
POLITICAL PARTIES
Alliance of National Democrats Constitutional Rights Union

Chairman Arshak Sadoyan Chairman Hrant Khachatrian
Foundation date: 2001 Foundation date: 1989
12 Abovian St., 1st floor, Yerevan 50a Yeznik Koghbatsi St., Yerevan
375010 375001
Tel: (3749) 40 66 89 mobile, 58 82 40 Tel: 53 27 30, fax: 53 41 92
National Assembly E-mail: iravunk@netsys.am
Armenian National Movement Dashnaktsutyun (Armenian Revolu-

Chairman Alexander Arzoumanian tionary Federation)
Foundation date: 1988 Representative of ARF Executive
27 Khanjian St., Yerevan 375010 Council of Armenia Vahan Hovanisian
Tel: 56 88 12 Foundation date: 1890
30 Hanrapetutyan St., Yerevan 375010
Communist Party of Armenia Tel: 52 15 02, 58 54 81, fax: 52 79 10
Chairman: Vladimir Darbinian Web site: www.arf.am
Foundation date: 1920 E-mail: arfarm@arminco.com
10 Zakian St., Yerevan 375015
Tel: 56 79 33
Democratic Party of Armenia National Democratic Union

Chairman Aram Sargsian Chairman Vazgen Manukian
Foundation date: 1991 Foundation date: 1992
14 Koryun St., Yerevan 375009 12 Abovian St., Yerevan 375001
Tel: 52 52 73 Tel: 52 34 12, 56 31 88, fax: 58 0598
E-mail: democracy@armenia.com Web site: www.spyur.am/nduparty.htm
Hanrapetutiun (Republic) National Unity Party

Chairman of Political Board Albert Chairman Artashes Geghamian
Bazeyan Foundation date: 1996
Member of Board Aram Sarksian 33a Moskovian St., Yerevan 375002
Foundation date: 2001 Tel: 56 36 32, 53 03 51
10 and 4 Sarian St., Yerevan 375002 E-mail: ameab@arminco.com
Tel: 54 51 55, 56 67 93
E-mail: republic@arminco.com Orinats Yerkir (Country of Law)
Chairman Arthur Baghdasarian
Hayrenik (Democratic Motherland) Foundation date: 1996
Chairman Petros Makeyan 14 Koryun St., Yerevan 375009
Foundation date: 1997 Tel: 52 69 39, 54 27 72, fax: 54 24 42
12 Vagharshian St., 1st floor, Yerevan E-mail: oek@arminco.com
375012
Tel: 27 53 09, 24 83 85 People’s Party
Chairman Stepan Demirchian
Motherland and Honor Union Foundation date: 1998
Chairman Garnik Margarian 7 Ghazar Parpetsi St., Yerevan 375002
Foundation date: 2001 Tel: 53 15 01, fax: 58 18 77
33 Moskovian St., apt. 8, Yerevan
375002 Ramkavar-Azatakan (Liberal-Demo-
Tel: 53 19 72 cratic Party of Armenia)
Chairman Ruben Mirzakhanian
National Conciliation Party Foundation date: 1991
Chairman Aram Harutyunian 19a Koryun St., 3rd floor, Yerevan
1/3 Pavstos Byuzand St., 7th floor, 375009
Yerevan 375010 Tel: 52 64 03
Tel. 58 01 37 E-mail: azg@azg.am
National Democratic Alliance Republican Party of Armenia

Chairman Arshak Sadoyan Chairman Andranik Margarian
Foundation date: 2001. Foundation date: 1988
19, 7th Aygestan St., Yerevan 375025 1/3 Pavstos Buzandi St., Yerevan
Tel: 57 39 55 (home), 58 82 40 (off), 375002
(374 9) 40 66 89 (mobile) Tel: 54 51 55, 56 21 51
Union for National Self-Determina- United Armenians

tion Chairman Ruben Avakian
Chairman Paruyr Hairikian Foundation date: 2000
Foundation date: 1987 14 Koryuni St., Yerevan 375009
15 Grigor Lusavorich St., Yerevan Tel: 52 34 13
375015
Tel: 56 33 21
E-mail: usd@armpa.com
MASS MEDIA
TV Stations
Public TV 5a Tumanian St., Yerevan 375010

Board Chairman Alexan Harutionian Tel: 52 38 86, 56 41 49, fax: 56 35 64
Established: January 2002 Web site: www.iatp.am/resource/art-
26 Gevorg Hovsepian St., Yerevan cult/ar
375047 E-mail: artv@mbox.amilink.net
Tel: 56 95 74, 65 00 15, fax: 56 24 60,
54 85 96 ArmenAkob TV
Web site: www.armtv.com Director Armen Amirian
E-mail: armen@armtv.com Established: January 2001
153, Nork Marash 13th St., Yerevan
A1+ 375047
President Mesrop Movsesian Tel: 55 13 43, 65 04 34, fax: 55 46 00
Established: January 1996 Web site: www.mediaconcern.am
15 Grigor Lusavorich, Yerevan 375015 E-mail: armen@armradio.am
Tel: 58 54 27, 56 42 99, fax: 561618
Web site: www.a1plus.am Armenia TV
E-mail: mesrop@a1plus.am, President Bagrat Sarkisian
info@a1plus.am Established: 1999
1 Saralanji, Yerevan 375025
ALM TV Tel: 52 81 61, fax: 52 31 22
Director Tigran Karapetian Web site: www.armeniatv.am
Established: 2000 E-mail: programs@armeniaTV.am
29, Komitas Ave., Yerevan 375014
Tel: 23 80 16, 23 06 46, fax: 23 11 42 Hayrenik TV
E-mail: alm@netsys.am Managing Director Karen Vardanian
Established: 2001
AR TV 13 Frunzei St., Yerevan 375026
President Meruzhan Ter-Ghulanian Tel: 44 34 13, 44 69 39, fax: 44 34 13
Established: 1996 E-mail: hayrenik@arminco.com
Web site: www.spyur.am/htv.htm
Kentron 16 Kievian St., Yerevan 375033

Director Grikor Nazarian Tel: 27 76 68, 27 76 89
Established: 2002 Leningradian St., TV Center, Gyumri
2 Alikhanian Yekhpairneri St., Yerevan 377500
375036 Tel: 374 4 12 23 88, 3 07 11, fax: 3 44 44
Tel: 39 64 64, 39 32 32 Web site: www.shanttv.am
E-mail: kentron@arminco.com, E-mail: shanttv@arminco.com
kentron12001@yahoo.com
Tsayg TV
Lori TV President Artur Ghandilian
Director Narineh Avetisian Established: 1992
Established: 1995 248, Abovian St., Gyumri 377500
10 Batumi St., Vanadzor 377200 Tel: (37441)2 22 47, 30543
Tel: 37451 2 05 24, fax: 37451 4 07 08 fax: (37441) 2 34 21
E-mail: lori@media.am Web site: www.tsaygtvr.am
E-mail: tsayg@media.am
Prometeus TV
Managing Director Samvel Mayrape- Vanadzor-Interkap TV
tian Director Samvel Harutiunian
Established: 1999 Established: 1991
Nazarbekian Block, House 3/1, Yere- 46a Abeghian St., Vanadzor 377200
van 375088 Tel: 37451 3 05 55, fax: 37451 3 00 56
Tel: 39 88 31, 39 04 06, fax: 39 56 40, Web site: www.interkap.am
39 25 36 E-mail: interkap@media.am
Web site:
http://promettv.arminco.com Yerevan TV
E-mail: promettv@arminco.com Director Babken Barseghian
Established: 2002
Shant TV 2 Arshakuniats Ave., Yerevan 375023
Director Artur Yezekian Tel: 54 29 83, 56 24 61, fax: 54 53 35
Established: 1994 E-mail: ertv@arminco.com
Radiostations
Public Radio of Armenia Karen Demirchian Center, Tsitsernak-

Managing Director Armen Amirian aberd Park, Yerevan 375028
Established: 2002 Tel: 39 60 20, 39 81 25, fax: 39 99 11
5 Alek Manukian St., Yerevan 375025 Web site: http://home.media.am/Ar-
Tel: 55 11 43, 55 45 40, fax: 55 46 00 dzaganq/
E-mail: armen@arm.r.am E-mail: ardzagank@media.am
Ardzagank Hai
Director general Artavazd Bayatian Director: Anahit Tarkhanian
1/3 Pavstos Buzandi St., 6th floor, Shant

Yerevan 375010 Director Levon Barseghian
Tel: 56 00 00, 52 66 29, fax: 52 98 68 Established: 1998
Web site: www.radiohay.com Leningradian St., TV Center, Gyumri
E-mail: haifm@media.am 377500
Tel: 374 41 2 23 88, fax: 374 41 3 07 11
Hai FM 105.5 E-mail: shant@shirak.am
Director: Anahit Tarkhanian
Established: 1994 Van
1/3 Pavstos Buzandi St., 6th floor, Director Shushanik Arevshatian
Yerevan 375010. Established: 1998
Tel: 56 00 00, 56 55 75, fax: 52 98 68 13a Khanjian St., Yerevan 375025
E-mail: haifm@media.am Tel: 54 00 01, 54 00 02
Web site: www.radiovan.am
Impouls-Mayak E-mail: radiovan@magistros.am
Director Koryun Khumarian
Established: 1997 Vem
18 Tumanian St., # 2, Yerevan 375001 Editor-in-Chief Father Mesrop Ar-
Tel: 55 26 34, 52 58 28, 63 88 60 amian
E-mail: mayak@freenet.am Established: 2000
19a Koryun St., Yerevan 375009
Interkap Tel: 54 15 95, fax: 54 15 95
Director Samvel Harutiunian Web site: www.vem.am
46a Abeghian St., Vanadzor 377300 E-mail: info@vem.am
Tel: (374 51) 3 00 56, fax: (374 51) 3
05 55
Web site: www.interkap.am
E-mail: interkap@media.am
News agencies
ARKA 375009
Director Konstantin Petrosov Tel: 52 67 02, 52 84 60, fax: 52 57 89
Established: 1996 Web site: www.armenpress.am.
1/3 Pavstos Buzandi St., 6th floor, E-mail: contact@armenpress.am
Yerevan 375010.
Tel: 52 40 80, fax: 52 21 52 Arminfo
Web site: www.arka.am Director Alexander Avanesov
E-mail: arka@arminco.com Established: 2001
28 Isahakian St., 2nd floor, Yerevan
Armenpress 375009
Director Hrair Zorian Tel: 52 20 34, 54 31 74, fax: 54 31 72
Established: 1934 Web site: www.arminfo.am
28 Isahakian St., 4 floor, Yerevan E-mail: news@arminfo.am
Mediamax Noyan Tapan

Director Ara Tadevosian Director Tigran Harutiunian
31A Marshal Baghramian Ave., Yere- 28 Isahakian St., Yerevan 375009
van 375019 Tel: 56 59 65, 56 19 05, fax: 52 42 79
Tel: 22 87 86, fax: 27 11 56 Web site: www.noyan-tapan.am
Web site: www.mediamax.am E-mail: contact@noyan-tapan.am ,
E-mail: media@arminco.com info@noyan-tapan.am
Newspapers
Hayastani Hanrapetutiun E-mail: news@aravot.am

Editor Tigran Farmanian Ayb-Fe
Established: 1990 Editorial board
2 Arshakuniats Ave., 13th and 14th Established: 2002
floors, Yerevan 375023 15 Grikor Lusavorchi St., 375015
Tel: 52 57 56, 52 69 74, fax: 54 86 11 Tel: 58 54 27
Web site: www.spyur.am/hh.htm Web site: www.a1plus.am
E-mail: hh@press.aic.net E-mail: oratert@a1plus.am
Respublika Armenia Azg

Editor Vardan Aloyan Editor Hakob Avetikian
2 Arshakuniats Ave., 9th floor, Yerevan 47 Hanrapetutyan St., 3rd floor, Yere-
375023 van 375010
Tel: 54 57 00, 54 53 37, fax: 54 53 38, Tel: 52 16 35, 52 92 21, fax: 52 93 53
54 26 92 Web site: www.azg.am
Web site: www.resparm.com E-mail: azg2@arminco.com
E-mail: defacto@netsys.am
Delovoy Express
Aijm Editor Edward Naghdalian
Editor Narine Mkrtchian Established: 1992
Established: 1996 22 Nairi Zarian St., 2nd floor, Yerevan
12 Abovian St., Yerevan 375001 375051
Tel: 52 34 12 Tel: 25 26 83, fax: 25 90 23
E-mail: aijm@arminco.com Web site: www.spyur.am/delex.htm
E-mail: eis@arminco.com
Aravot
Editor Aram Abramian Golos Armenii
Established: 1994 Editor Flora Nakhshkarian
2 Arshakuniats Ave., 15th floor, Yere- Established: 1991
van 375023 2 Arshakuniats Ave., 7th floor, Yerevan
Tel: 52 87 52, 52 97 52, fax: 56 88 68 375023
Web site: www.aravot.am Tel: 52 77 23, fax: 52 92 26
Web site: http://golos.arminco.com
E-mail: golos@press.arminco.com E-mail: nvremya@arminco.com

Haykakan Zhamanak
Editor Nikol Pashinian Orran
Established: 1996 Editor Aydin Morikian
37 Israyelyan St., Yerevan 375015 Established: 2002
Tel: 58 11 75, 54 43 39 75 Yerznkian St., Yerevan 375033
Web site: www.webnet.am Tel: 22 02 50, fax: 22 57 50
E-mail: nikol@arminco.com Web site: www.orrandaily.am
E-mail: info@orrandaily.am
Hayots Ashkhar
Editor Gagik Mkrtchian Pravda Armenii
Established: 1996 Editor Norik Petrosian
38 Tumanian St., Apt.41, Yerevan Established: 2001
375002 2 Arshakuniats Ave., 10th floor, Yerevan
Tel: 53 88 65, fax: 53 32 11 375023
E-mail: hayashkh@arminco.com Tel: 56 96 17
Iravunk Yerkir
Editor Hovanes Galajian Editor Gegham Manukian
50a Yeznik Koghbatsu St., Yerevan 30 Hanrapetutyan St., Yerevan 375010
375001 Tel: 52 15 01, 54 41 97, fax: 52 04 26
Tel: 53 27 30, fax: 53 41 92 Web site: www.yerkir.am
Web site: www.iravunk.am E-mail: news@erkir.am
E-mail: iravunk@netsoft.am
Zhamanak
Novoye Vremya Editor Merouzhan
Editor Ruben Satian Established: 1998
Established: 1992 2 Arshakuniats Ave., 15th floor, Yerevan
2 Arshakuniats Ave., 3rd floor, Yerevan 375023
375023 Tel: 54 50 69, fax: 54 50 68
Tel: 52 69 46, E-mail: zhamanak@netsys.am
Media Organizations
Association of Investigative Caucasus Media Institute

Journalists Director Vicken Cheterian
Director Edik Baghdasarian 23 Demirchian Pakughi, Yerevan
2 Mashtots Ave., Apt. 40, Yerevan 375002
375010 Tel: 54 06 31, 54 06 32, fax: 56 88 60
Tel: 56 31 49, 52 92 40, fax: 58 11 02 Web site: www.caucasusmedia.org
Web site: www.hetq.am E-mail: contact@caucasusmedia.org,
E-mail: versused@arminco.com, media@caucasusmedia.org
arinjour@yahoo.com Internews Network
Managing Director Nouneh Sargsian home/npc/

3 Arshakuniats Ave., 3rd floor, Yerevan E-mail: npc@noyan-tapan.am,
375023 narine@arminco.com
Tel: 58 36 20, fax: 56 90 41 ProMedia
Web site: www@internews.am President Peter Eichstaedt
E-mail: îffice@internews.am 18/2 Baghramian Ave., Yerevan
375019
Journalists Union of Armenia Tel: 58 14 89, 54 31 94
President Astghik Gevorgian Web site: www.promedia.am
3a Pushkin St., Yerevan 375010 E-mail: promedia@arminco.com
Tel: 56 12 76, 56 79 23
Web site: http://home.media.am/sja/ Yerevan Press Club
E-mail: www@internews.am President Boris Navasardian
101 Pavstos Buzandi St., Apt.4, Yere-
National Press Club van 375002
President Narineh Mkrtchian Tel: 53 00 67, 53 35 41, fax: 53 56 61
2 Arhakuniats Ave., 10th floor, Yerevan Web site: www.ypc.am
375023, Tel/Fax: 56 91 58 E-mail: pressclub@ypc.am
Web site: http://noyan-tapan.am/
HOTELS
“ANI PLAZA HOTEL” Web site: www.hotelarmenia.com
19 Sayat-Nova Ave. Yerevan 375010 E-mail: info@hotelarmenia.com
Tel: 59 43 77, 59 46 77, fax: 56 53 43
Web site: www.anihotel.com “ASTAFIAN”
E-mail: anihotel@yahoo.com 5/1 Abovian St., Yerevan 3750011
Tel: 52 11 11, 58 67 48, fax: 56 45 72
“ARARAT HOTEL” Web site: www.astafian.com
7 Grigor Lusavorich St. Yerevan E-mail: astafian@netsys.am
375015
Tel: 51 00 00, 54 11 00, fax: 51 00 01 “AVIATRANS”
Web site: http://ararathotel.am 4 Abovian St., Yerevan 375002
E-mail: info@ararathotel.am Tel: 56 72 28, 56 72 26, fax: 58 44 42
Web site: www.aviatrans.am
“ARGISHTI” E-mail: hotel@aviatrans.am
1 Batumi St., Vanadzor 377200
Tel: (374 51) 4 25 56 “BASEN HOTEL COMPLEX”
1-5 A. Manukian St., Sisian
“ARMENIA” Tel: (374 830) 53 70, 52 64, 44 90
1 Amirian St., Yerevan 375010
Tel: 59 90 00, 59 91 70, fax: 59 92 56, “BASS”
59 90 01 3/1 Aygedzori St., Yerevan 375019
Tel. 26 41 56, 26 10 80, fax: 23 01 82 “OLYMPIA HOTEL”

Web site: www.bass.am 56 Barbyusi St., Yerevan 375028
E-mail: bass@lans.am Tel: 27 18 50, 27 74 24, fax: 27 18 26
Web site: www.olympia.am
“BERLIN” E-mail: info@olympia.am
25 Haghtanaki Ave., Gyumri 377504,
Tel: (37441) 2 31 48, 3 76 59, “SHIRAK HOTEL”
fax: (495154) 9 50 46 00 13a Movses Khorenatsu St., Yerevan
Web site: www.shirak.am/hotel_berlin 375010
E-mail: drk@shirak.am Tel: 52 99 15, 56 95 95, fax: 58 35 93
Web site: www.shirak-hotel.am
“DVIN HOTEL” E-mail: shirak_hotel@cornet.am
40 Paronian St., Yerevan 375002
Tel. 53 63 43, 53 95 12, fax: 53 95 14 “SIL HOTEL”
20 Tigran Metsi Ave., Yerevan 375018,
“HRAZDAN” Tel: 54 07 08, 54 07 12, fax: 54 50 00
72 Dzorapi St., Yerevan 375002 Web site: www.sil.am/hotel
Tel: 53 53 32, fax: 53 84 28 E-mail: silhtl@arminco.com
E-mail: hrazdan@aviatrans.am
“YEREVAN HOTEL”
“ISUZ” 14 Abovian St., Yerevan 375010
1/5 Garegin Nzhdehi Ave., Gyumri Tel: 58 94 00, fax: 52 82 91
Tel: (37441) 2 51 51, 3 33 69, Web site: www.hotelyerevan.com
fax: (37441) 3 99 93; (4179) 236 69 66 E-mail: yerhot@arminco.com
Web site: www.isuz.am
E-mail: isuz@shirak.am
METROPOL HOTEL
2/2 Mashtots Ave., Yerevan 375015
Tel: 54 37 01, fax: 54 37 02
Web site: www.metropol.am
E-mail: metropol@metropol.am

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CONTENTS

Yerevan, December 2002

ARMENIA: GENERAL INFORMATION

Ethnic composition: Armenians 98%, then, in decreasing numbers, Yezids (Kurds),

BRIEF HISTORY OF THE POST-SOVIET PERIOD

The transport and energy blockade of Armenia in 1989-1995

One of the methods of bringing pressure on Armenia in connection with the

The Karabakh war

Internal political scene. Mid-1990s to 27 October 1999

27 October 1999 and its consequences

The most signiﬁcant election campaigns in the post-Soviet Armenia were:

Presidential elections of 1991

Some methods used to falsify the results of elections

Beginning with the parliamentary elections of 1995, a system of falsifying the

Parliamentary elections of 1995 and the referendum on

Presidential elections of 1996

Presidential elections of 1998

No problems with selection or registration of candidates were encountered in the

media behaved with moderation in their characterization of candidates and showed

Parliamentary elections of 1999

As a result, an unbearably large part of the budget is spent on maintaining the

Armenian leadership chose complimentarity as its foreign policy doctrine.

SELECTED ARMENIAN LEGISLATION

of the Prime Minister;

Article 1: Electoral Bases

Article 7: Transparency of Elections

the day of voting and the election results.

Article 18: Basic Principles for Pre-Election Campaign

their ofﬁcial duties;

Article 20: Pre-Election Campaign through Mass Media

Article 22: Prohibition of Inﬂuencing the Expression of Citizens’ Free Will

conditions between the candidates, or inﬂuencing the expression of citizens’ free

Article 25: Pre-election fund

5) those economic organizations, in the charter or share capital of which the

Article 27: The Status of the Proxy

Article 28: The Right of the Observation Mission

Article 29: Accreditation of Observers

Article 64: Electoral System

Article 65: Requirements for Candidate of the President of the Republic

Article 83: Summarization of the Election Results

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN CONDUCTING THE ELECTIONS OF THE

2. The Chairman of the Central Electoral Commission makes a statement on day of

Article 139: Liability for Violations of Provisions of This Code

electoral commissions, civil servants, or ofﬁcers of the local self-governing

THE LAW OF THE REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA ON

THE LAW OF REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA “ON

Ruben Avakian was born in 1943 in Krasnodar region, Russia.

Program highlights Ruben AVAKIAN

Program highlights Vladimir DARBINIAN

Program highlights Stepan DEMIRCHIAN

Program highlights Artashes GEGHAMIAN

launching policies against monopolies

Department of Mechanics and Mathematics of Yerevan State University in 1980. He

Program highlights Aram HARUTUNIAN

Born in Fresno, California, in 1959, Rafﬁ Hovannisian graduated with a BA in History

Program highlights Raffi HOVANNISIAN

Program highlights Aram KARAPETIAN

Born in Stepanakert, Nagorno-Karabakh in 1954, Robert Kocharian started work

Born in Leninakan in 1946, Vazgen Manukian graduated from the department of

Program highlights Vazgen MANUKI-

privatization of state-owned enterprises, elimination of shadow economy and creating

Program highlights Garnik MARKARIAN

Program highlights Aram SARKISSIAN