RFE/RL reports that the election campaign period is now fully underway in Armenia. Indeed, more publicity material and political advertising is now visible in Yerevan, and I managed to check out the official launch of the Orinats Yerkir and Armenian Revolutionary Federation — Dashnaktsutiun campaigns as well as make contact with representatives from Heritage, Prosperous Armenia, Republic and the People’s Party.

The governing Armenian Revolutionary Federation (Dashnaktsutyun) and the opposition Orinats Yerkir (Country of Law) and the National Unity (AMK) parties pledged to strengthen the rule of law and pay greater attention to socioeconomic problems facing Armenians if they do well in the vote.

Dashnaktsutyun leaders unveiled their election platform to hundreds of supporters who gathered in central Yerevan. Many buildings in the city center were already plastered with placards carrying the nationalist party’s campaign motto: “Our old friend is Dashnaktsutyun.” The Dashnaktsutyun-controlled Yerkir-Media television began airing video of the party’s campaign song on Sunday evening.

[…]

Meanwhile, about 300 Orinats Yerkir activists gathered in a conference hall in Yerevan to attend the high-profile presentation of their party’s platform to the accompaniment of its official campaign song. The song assures Armenians that Orinats Yerkir’s founding leader, Artur Baghdasarian, “will lead us to a country of law.”

Orinats Yerkir promises, among other things, to cut taxes, combat corruption, and introduce mandatory healthcare insurance and student loans. The program also supports Armenia’s eventual membership in the European Union but stops short of calling for its accession to NATO. Baghdasarian advocated NATO membership in a newspaper interview last year.

Lots to say, but the Orinats Yerkir and Dashnak meetings provided some hope for the election. The former presented its election platform quite articulately at the Marriott Armenia Hotel, and the ARF-D managed to attract a sizeable and enthusiastic crowd outside the Moscow Cinema later in the evening. I met up with Garo (aka Christian Garbis) from Notes from Hairenik for the latter and he’ll post a more detailed account later.

Actually, as it’s late now I’ll keep this post short, but just point you all to news of gunshots fired at the car of MP Hakob Hakobian in Etchmiadzin. Unfortunately, with the overall impression of today somewhat positive, this is obviously disappointing news. Nevertheless, on a brighter note, hearing Artur Baghdasarian speak about concrete issues before presenting their rather catchy and humorous campaign song overshadowed that news.

Indeed, even if the ARF-D avoided dwelling on issues at their event attended by hundreds of people tonight, it has also been refreshing to see policy issues and campaign promises appear on the huge number of their posters which seem to be everywhere in Yerevan these past two days. Of course, how any of the political parties will manage to fulfill their promises is another matter entirely, but I suppose that’s the same in every country.

For now, though, it’s rather exciting that the race is well and truly on. As I said, it’s been encouraging to see some attempt being made to engage society and I hope that similar effort will be made to attract votes. We’ll know more as the campaign progresses, and I hope to have some pics from tonight’s rather impressive campaign launch by the ARF-D to post tomorrow. Until then, it’s late and it’s been a hectic if fascinating day.

Tomorrow is the official launch of the Heritage campaign, and I shall also try to make contact with the ruling Republican Party.