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Democracy Making Strides in Former Soviet Armenia

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March 01, 2013

YEREVAN, ARMENIA — Twenty-one years after gaining independence from the Soviet Union, Armenia may be coming of age. It is developing a more open society, and even a messy democracy. This is clear after the February 18 presidential election - won by incumbent Serzh Sargsyan.

Armenian opposition presidential candidate Raffi Hovhannisyan claimed victory - even though he lost the election. “For the first time in 20 years the citizens have said yes to our constitution, yes to the rule of law, yes to democracy in our future,” he said.

Hovhannisyan has been joined in protesting the results by Andreas Gukasyan, a candidate who spent the election campaign on a hunger strike. He said he went on strike to protest what he calls Armenia’s rigged elections.

Campaign posters were few and largely limited to official spaces in Yerevan, Armenia, Feb. 16, 2013. (V. Undritz/VOA)
Presidential candidate and owner of a private radio station Andreas Gukasyan spent the one month long campaign period on a hunger strike, living in a tent in front of the National Academy of Sciences, Yerevan, Armenia, Feb. 16, 2013. (V. Undritz/VOA)
Andreas Gukasyan charged that elections in post-Soviet Armenia are controlled by the president of the day, buying votes and ordering government employees to turn out the vote for official candidates, Yerevan, Armenia, Feb. 16, 2013. (V. Undritz/VOA)
California-born Raffi Hovhannisyan also embarked on a presidential campaign across Armenia, Yerevan, Armenia, Feb. 16, 2013. (V. Undritz/VOA)
Supporters respond to Hovhannisyan and Armenian rappers at a final pre-election rally in Yerevan, Armenia, Feb. 16, 2013. (V. Undritz/VOA)
Armenia's President Serzh Sargsyan talks to reporters after voting in Yerevan. (V. Undritz/VOA)
Protesters gathered on Yerevan's Freedom Square the day that the official results were announced: 59 percent for President Serzh Sergsyan, 37 percent for Hovhannisyan, Feb. 20, 2013. (V. Undritz/VOA)
Protesters at Yerevan's Freedom Square the day that official results were announced, Feb. 20, 2013. (V. Undritz/VOA)
Serzh Sergsyan has promised to obey Armenia's presidential term limits and step down in 2018 when his second term ends. (V. Undritz/VOA)

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Deadly past election

Five years ago, post-election protests in the capital, Yerevan, ended with 10 dead in the streets. This time, police and protesters are following a peaceful path. Some see a new spirit of openness that is nurturing democracy.

Richard Giragosian, who runs a think tank in Yerevan, said, “In a general sense, I’m optimistic in the trend now present in Armenia in terms of democratization, more of an orientation Westward.”

When Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan cast his ballot on February 18, he knew the opposition would not win only three percent of the vote - as in some other former Soviet republics. He did get reelected, but with just 59 percent of the vote.

Making progress

Opposition supporters rallied to the California-born Hovhannisyan, who was Armenia’s first foreign minister after independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. He won 37 percent of the vote, twice the amount forecast by polls before the election.

“We are into now our 22nd year of independence, and we have never ever had a transition of authority through free and fair elections. It’s about time that Armenia take the initiative and return democracy, the rule of law, and civil rights to the people of Armenia,” said Hovhannisyan.

Almost 7,000 foreign and Armenian observers watched the voting.

Karin Woldseth, head of a European parliamentary delegation, gave a qualified approval to the vote.

“We have noted deep progress in many areas, such as the media environment, legal framework, freedom of assembly, and freedom of speech,” she said.

Vibrant opposition

As she spoke, protesters interrupted the news conference. They said the European observers were “political tourists” rubber-stamping a fraudulent election.

“They announce that we are one step forward, that we had transparent elections, but it’s a lie. Because our observers are in those stations all day, they are being violated, abused. Their observers are going there for just 15 minutes,” said one protester, Mamikon Hovsepyan:

Since the vote, Hovhannisyan has been touring this mountainous nation, leading protest rallies, and working to unify the political opposition.

“I am committed to bring, with the people of Armenia, a bloodless transfer of power. And I am sure that in five years we will have the first free and fair elections in Armenia,” said Hovhannisyan.

Democracy - disorderly, unpredictable, and with citizen participation - seems to be brewing in post-Soviet Armenia.

James Brooke

A foreign correspondent who has reported from five continents, Brooke, known universally as Jim, is the Voice of America bureau chief for Russia and former Soviet Union countries. From his base in Moscow, Jim roams Russia and Russia’s southern neighbors.

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by: Hagop from: Los Angeles, Ca.

March 03, 2013 8:47 PM

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Raffi Hovannisian may be American-born and -educated (indeed, he is a UCLA and Tufts graduate) but his foreign policy will not be to the West's liking. Nor to Russia's, for that matter. One of his promises is that, once in power, he will recognize the Nagorno-Karabagh Republic as an independent state, which will upset Azerbaijan and the West's "interests" in the region (Azerbaijan's petrol and pipelines).

This is why President Obama, Secretary Kerry, and even Turkish president Abdullah Gül have congratulated the incumbent Serzh Sargsyan.

by: Sam from: Yerevan, Armenia

March 02, 2013 11:38 AM

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Ballot stuffing, disappearing ink used on passport stamps enabling multiple votes by the same person, disqualifying all 700,000 citizens living outside the country from voting, but printing & depositing their ballots pre-filled. The votes of whole villages bought by the mayor - a Republican beneficiary - who then individually met and inspected the ballot of each voter prior to casting - this technique was repeated all over the country

by: Sam from: Yerevan, Armenia

March 02, 2013 7:28 AM

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As a Westerner living in Armenia, I have not yet met anyone who voted for the incumbent. The sadness and resignation to the status quo is evident in the faces of the ordinary people. One question: Why were scores of OSCE monitors witnessed to be partying, drinking beer and wine, during the elction instead of being at their stations?

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by: arthur

March 02, 2013 8:47 AM

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I know more than 100 people in Armenia. Not single one voted for the incumbent one. Wher did he get his 58 % from god knows.

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