“This is an unprecedented step,” Vardevanyan on urgent amendments to the Electoral Code (Video)

“What is happening in Parliament is a manifestation of primitive fear,” said Aram Vardevanyan, lawyer for the Prime Ministerial candidate of the “Strong Armenia” party, Samvel Karapetyan, during a press conference outside the National Assembly.

“We see the head of the executive branch speaking about ‘strong guys.’ Are these ‘strong guys’ making urgent amendments to the Electoral Code just days before submitting a political application, simply to prevent the use of Samvel Karapetyan’s name? Is this what a strong government looks like?” Vardevanyan asked.

He added that sociological surveys and common sense clearly show this is the behavior of a frightened government.

“Today, they are already saying that Samvel Karapetyan’s name cannot appear in the name of his alliance. This is the clearest manifestation of fear. There has never been a precedent for such an illegality. Fighting against a name –this is a new low. They often talk about the European experience, but I cannot imagine any European country introducing such a substantive change to the electoral code just hours before the Central Electoral Commission receives applications. The Venice Commission explicitly prohibits such behavior. Yet, despite daily references to European values, Armenian authorities are miles away from them,” Vardevanyan stated.

He further noted that the move violates the principle of electoral equality.

“Right now, they have levers of power, and they are using them. But this says one thing: changes are coming. Changes are coming with Samvel Karapetyan, and changes are coming with the ‘Strong Armenia’ alliance,” Vardevanyan concluded.