Republican Party of Armenia

 Responding the proposal-letter of the RA National Assembly Speaker Samvel Nikoyan on April 6 the representatives of parliamentary and extra-parliamentary political forces, taking part in the election campaign, NGOs, Armenian missions of international organizations attended in the NA gathering to create a Monitoring Working Group of electoral processes and using of the Electoral Code at the Head of the RA Parliament. The representatives of the Prosperous Armenia Party, Heritage Party, ARF Party, Armenian Democratic Party, Communist Party of Armenia, Republican Party of Armenia, United Armenians Party, Rule of Law Party, Armavir Development Centre, Civilitas Find, Counterpart International Armenia, Public Journalistic Club, Centre of Public Dialogues and Initiatives, Partnership and Education NGOs, US Embassy, EU, OSCE, CoE, USAID, International Fund of Electoral Systems (IFES), OSCE/ODIHR were among the participants of the meeting.
Opening the meeting and presenting the mission of the working group Mr Nikoyan urged the participants from the beginning to be tolerant to each other, provide working harmonious atmosphere, which gives opportunity to each side to openly present its approaches, positions, proposals.
It was noted that the monitoring of using the RA Electoral Code will be one of the main functions of the Working Group, the observation of the vitality of the amendments made, as well as the response and prevention of the revelations, which will not stem from the acting legislation.
It was decided by consensus that the political forces registered for parliamentary elections could be included in the Working Group, each of them with one representative.
By the proposal of the representatives of the very NGOs three organizations elected by the NGOs having the right of implementing observation mission in the elections, will be represented with one participant. The latter will be endowed with the same authorities as the representatives of the political forces.
Karel Hostra, Deputy Head of the OSCE Yerevan Office, presented the united opinion of participation of the representatives of the international organizations: it was decided that the international organizations will take part in the works of the Group in the status of observer.
Regarding the final wordings of the problems and goals of the activity of the Working Group the participants of the gathering once again decided to discuss the proposals in their parties and organizations and approve the final version in the next sitting of the Working Group.
It was decided that the presidency of the sittings would be held in succession, according to alphabetical list. “My goal is that the equal representation and participation of all the parties be provided,” the RA NA Speaker substantiated his proposal.