This issue, however, especially as it relates to public employees, has been mentioned on this blog in the past.

Anyway, when you say “Talk to the people, talk to the simple BUT wise ones, not the idiots….” what is it you’re really suggesting? That I ignore the views expressed by the majority so far — which is actually one of apathy and cynicism towards all players, but with a sizeable support for Prosperous Armenia — and just talk to the minority that agrees with you? Sorry, that just isn’t right.

Indeed, it is this issue of apathy and cynicism, as well as the prevailing mood of voting for whoever pays the most, that seems to be the most significant issue in this election. Basically, it’s an issue that needs exposure and needs addressing, and I’m sorry but the government, opposition and civil society are all to blame for this situation.

And continuing with the analogy, if there are two bullies, and they play good cop-bad cop with me, and the “good” one offers me protection and money instead of breaking my head, it’s again my fault that I don’t proudly defy both of them, right?!

Ehhh….. Talk to the people, talk to the simple BUT wise ones, not the idiots….

Second, you can repeat that cliche (which you like a lot) that every nation deserves its government as many times as you want - but it will not make it right. It is especially cynical and mendacious toward the beaten and humiliated Armenain people. It is approximately the same as to say that if a bully picks on you and breaks your jaw it is YOUR fault, if he rapes your sister, it is HER fault (since you guys should have been much more prepared physically, should have taken advantage of all the readily available martial arts courses beforehand, and finally, should have been more organized in collectively resisting the bully —– ALL are correct points by themselves, but IRRELEVANT to the question who is guilty for outrageous offenses and who should be punished!).

Please do not shift the blame!!!

You wrote: “I suppose the theory is if you can get people to vote willingly in one way or another, there is no need to make up the numbers and thus, the international community can’t slam the election outright.”

It CAN! Very much outright. Right now, before the voting started! As of today, the elections are already not satisfying the standards that Armenia signed under. The campaign itself matters about as much as the voting, if not more. End of the story! Read the definitions and procedures for free and fair elections, if you doubt me. (In the Soviet times, the actual elections technically could have been - and often were indeed - squeeky clean…. You got my point.)

I suppose the theory is if you can get people to vote willingly in one way or another, there is no need to make up the numbers and thus, the international community can’t slam the election outright. Also remember that this is a parliamentary election and not a presidential one. People really still don’t care about it so I suppose a large number of voters will go and cast their votes on the basis of incentives — few seem to say they will vote out of duty or to remove the government, for example.

Anyway, we’ll see, but certainly the PECs, TECs and CEC is technically more transparent than it’s ever been. If they then turn around and act like before the international community will know and slam Armenia big time. The U.S. especially has spent a lot of time and money on getting the CEC to at least appear as though its doing its job and its open to scrutiny. Still, given the high number of people on the electoral register (2.3 million) which is at least 30 percent too many according to some international observers, it remains to be seen if those “extra” votes are used and how.

That is, straight forward stuffing or playing with numbers as you suggest. Anyway, for now at least, I don’t consider that Prosperous Armenia will need to play with any numbers. They seem to be gaining widespread support in other ways, and I think that a large number of voters will willingly go to the polls for them. I’m still not certain about the Republicans, though, although have yet to attend one of their rallies.

Also, I find it hard to believe that everyone handed cell phones with built-in cameras will be able to figure out how to take photos of their ballots. I am guessing that it’s not especially easy to take pictures, depending on the cell phone model of course. Seems too time consuming anyway.

It was quite predictable that there would be no enthusiasm in the society because the public realizes that the country needs drastic changes. They do not think that life will change after these elections so why should they be enthusiastic? I don’t think that shootings and explosions will affect anything. I just know that nothing is accidental.

The opposition resists the idea that the results of the elections are predetermined. However, that may be the reason why the society is indifferent about the campaign.

From the beginning, everybody knew that the Republicans and the Prosperous would acquire a huge number of votes during these elections, Dashnaktsutyun would enter the parliament as well. Even if some of the oppositional figures are elected that would not change anything. The opposition had 22 deputies in the parliament but it has made no difference. Nothing will change, there is no difference if the opposition has 20 deputies, or 25.

[…]

If the society were enthusiastic and had hopes about the elections, there would be an outbreak among people But it will hardly happen in this situation. Maybe, there will be 1 or 2 rallies but they will stop at that. Some oppositional forces think that the country cannot stay in this state, and something should change. These elections are a trial not so much for the public but for the opposition. It is not about acquiring 3 or 5 percent of the votes. After these elections the weight of some parties will increase, and some will lose their “weight.” The behavior and campaign of the forces may have an essential significance. People’s consciousness will keep not 20 or 30 scattered parties but just a few of them, and the situation in the country will be depending on their further unified or separate activities.

[…]

I am confused as well. There are so many political parties. I know the good and the bad of them. If I am so confused, I can imagine how difficult for an ordinary citizen will be to make a choice. In any case, I will vote for the opposition.

Anyway, from speaking to people here, most don’t seem inclined to go vote for anyone because they don’t believe anything can change regardless of who is in power. Pretty much they view the opposition and the government as being two sides of the same coin. Two exceptions to this are interesting.

Some people mention Tsarukian and Prosperous Armenia as the only force that can create much needed employment in the country. A few people also mention Raffi Hovannisian as being the only trustworthy politician in Armenia although ironically, only one says they will actually vote. The others say that they think their votes for him won’t make a difference so why bother.

Anyway, it’s not a scientific poll, and only in Yerevan, but the amount of apathy and cynicism even among young voters such as students is breathtaking. Of nine students asked to in the past four days, for example, the breakdown of their responses is as follows. Two will vote for Prosperous Armenia, one for Heritage, two a against all, and four won’t vote at all. Older voters either don’t know who to vote for or say they won’t vote at all.

However, many of these middle aged voters think that Tsarukian’s Prosperous Armenia is the only real choice on offer. Again, I’m not saying that this is a true reflection of the situation, but it’s what I’ve personally encountered so far.

Artak was still in the army when he found out that his family had had him accepted into the Prosperous Armenia Party. He was not against, especially because the whole block already adhered to the party.
“One nice day I was having coffee with my neighbors and suddenly Ano from the third floor said, “Why shouldn’t we join the Prosperous?” At the beginning I didn’t want to, but when everyone signed up, I signed up, too. And also the neighbors said that when my Artak returned, they would give him a job at the party. And I signed the boy up,” Mrs. Hasmik, Artak’s mother, tells.
2007-04-17

After the army service, Artak was unemployed for three months. He worked in construction with a friend for some time and then that work was done with, too.

“It was mid-March. I was sitting with the guys from the neighborhood in

the yard, and then one of them said that there was going to be some work at the Prosperous headquarters and they would pay 50 – 60 thousand a month. I said I wanted to work. We went to the headquarters and I have already been working for a month,” Artak tells.

Work at the office is easy. According to what Artak says the most important thing is that the head of the office pays for the pre-paid cell-phone cards with a single condition that “the cell phone needs to be used exclusively for calls about the office issues.”

Meanwhile, the issue of vote bribes in Vanadzor by the party, as well as the ruling Republican and ARF-D party among others, are also detailed on the same site.

The organization (HCA) has been following the electoral campaign process in the framework of the project Legal Initiative, Elections 2007.

They have registered an infringement by Arkadi Hambardzumyan, a majoritarian candidate at the voting district N29. Non-party Hambardzumyan has been nominated by Republican Party of Armenia – he is N86 in their proportional list. He has submitted information to the district electoral commission, according to which his financial means are restricted to 3 million 130 thousand dram acquired for his activities as a deputy. However, his electoral booklet mentions charity work conducted by the candidate through his personal funds. According to the booklet, he

has funded programs costing 44 million 500 thousand dram for the past three and a half years. It turns out that the candidate has spent 11 times as more for charity purposes as he has declared.

[…]

According to the report, ARFP has been paying 7000 dram for a vote, and RPA – 3000 to 5000 dram.

Observers state that when the PA electoral headquarters in Taron district, Vanadzor, allotted just 5 kg of flour to each family, it evoked disagreements and arguments. After the argument, the headquarters added the volume of flour by 20 more kg to each family.

According to the data of the HCA Vanadzor office observers, PA activities are not limited to distributing flour. The party provides citizens with free legal advice. They have given some envelopes to the residents of Taron district and have written down the personal data of family members on documents with the seal of PA on them.

Interestingly, a senior international organization head told me today that there are rumors of mobile phones being bought up by some parties. Although it is important to stress that this is just a rumor, the logic of this action is the following, and it makes perfect sense in the election falsification game given that during the referendum, those that did actually vote didn’t fold their ballots so members of the PEC could see them clearly before they were cast.

Given that ballots now need to be sealed in envelopes before being put in the ballot box, voters are given the phones before entering the polling station and expected to photograph their ballot before sealing it. The photo on the phone can then be viewed when it is returned outside the polling station, and the voters can receive their bribes. Like I said, only a rumor, but one coming from a very significant source and which is being looked into.

If I hear anything more on this, I’ll post details either way.

Regarding singers donating their time - I think I saw Hasmik Karapetyan singing at Hanrapetakan rally on TV, don’t think we can consider that she or Arsens follow their beliefs and not money. In case of Sirusho, let me doubt a bit, probably she was at the rally by the request of her father-in-law-to-be i.e. Mr President.

23-04-2007 15:46:22

“Prosperous Armenia” Party hopes at least for one third of the population to support it during the parliamentary elections

Yerevan, April 23. /Mediamax/. “Prosperous Armenia” Party (PAP) expects success during the upcoming parliamentary elections, Spokesman of the Party Baghdasar Mherian stated during a briefing in Yerevan today.

He noted that according to the data of the sociological research, the PAP enjoys the sympathy, at least, of one third of the population. Mherian refuted the statements of a number of oppositional forces on bribing the electors. According to him, the benevolent actions of the fund of the party leader and his family have nothing to do which the pre-election campaign.

The political councilor of the PAP Chairman Gerasim Barseghian informed that by the order of the leadership of the party there were sociological surveys carried out, the data of which are meant for exclusively internal use of the party and will not be publicized. “I can only say that, according to the results of the latest polls, our party occupies a quite advantage position and is one of the leaders of the parliamentary elections”, he stated.

Member of the Political Council of PAP Aram Safarian informed that the leadership of the party has already held meetings with the observers from the Interparliamentary Assembly of the CIS and the PACE, today the meeting with the representatives of the OSCE Mission is expected to take place. According to him, “the observers are interested in the structure and the strong potential of “Prosperous Armenia” as a newly-established, but a solid party”.

Aram Safarian noted that at this stage the PAP does not hold meetings with other political forces, as it sees no necessity to do so. At that the party carries out work on checking the election lists, he stated. “The PAP intends to hold active large-scale pre-election events and meetings with the electors all over the country, the wreath of which will be the impressive meeting in Yerevan”, Aram Safarian stated, not ruling out the likelihood of the participation of the party leader Gagik Tsarukian in TV-debates.–0–

Businessman Gagik Tsarukian pledged to turn Armenia into a prosperous country free of opposition parties as he resumed his participation in the intensifying election campaign over the weekend.

Thousands of people attended campaign rallies held by his Prosperous Armenia Party (BHK) in Yerevan’s Davitashen and Arabkir districts, underscoring its status as one of the main contenders of the May 12 parliamentary elections. Many waved flags and held up BHK banners to the accompaniment of the party’s campaign songs, one of them performed by a hip hop band.

Addressing supporters in Davitashen on Saturday, Tsarukian claimed that its victory in the polls would lead to a quick improvement in their living conditions. “In no time, our country will become prosperous, there will be smile on everybody’s face, everyone will do their job,” he said. “And there won’t be an opposition because if a man can support his family, then everyone will go about their business. Rest assured that we will deliver.”

[…]

As he walked off a makeshift podium there, the former arm-wrestler was again mobbed by dozens of people keen to hand him letters or shake his hands. His beefy bodyguards had trouble holding them back.

Tsarukian’s image of a generous benefactor is integral to his increasingly obvious populist appeal. He is believed to have spent millions on dollars on handing out humanitarian aid and providing free medical treatment to scores of impoverished Armenians last fall as part of the BHK’s preparations for the elections.

Critics, among them some pro-Kocharian politicians, have denounced that as a wholesale buying of votes. Some also accuse Tsarukian of large-scale tax evasion, pointing to a huge disparity between modest taxes paid by his businesses and his massive wealth.

But the criticism has not prevented the BHK from attracting a large following. “This party will really build a prosperous country,” said Norik Nazarian, a middle aged Davitashen resident. “We see what he’s done.”

“We watch TV and see his benevolence,” said Lid Hunanian, a local pensioner. “That is why we joined his party.”

“He is helping the people a lot without being in government” reasoned her husband Sergey, also a BHK member. “If he comes to power, he’ll probably do even more.”

The full report is here.