Armenia elections were not free and fair, opposition group says

The opposition Wings of Unity political initiative will continue its activities following Armenia’s June 7 parliamentary elections, expanding its presence in communities across the country, members of the group said at a news conference on Tuesday.

Armen Galstyan, a member of Wings of Unity, thanked voters who supported the initiative, as well as campaign staff, supporters and the leadership of the Shant alliance for their cooperation during the elections.

Addressing post-election developments, Wings of Unity member Liparit Drmeyan pointed out the group had rejected the election results in a statement issued on June 8. He said the initiative had challenged the voting results at all polling stations in Yerevan and submitted requests for recounts in several regions. According to Drmeyan, the group also plans to appeal to Armenia’s Constitutional Court.

“Much is being said about the voting results, but we believe the election outcome does not reflect the genuine will of the voters,” Drmeyan said. “Throughout the pre-election period, voters were subjected to measures by the Civil Contract party and the state institutions that prevented them from freely expressing their will. The principle of free choice was violated. We believe the elections were neither free nor fair.”