Today, the ban on the pre-election campaigning came into force in Armenia before the elections to the National Assembly (Parliament) of the country that will be held tomorrow, on April 2.
The election campaigning in the country in accordance with the Electoral Code has started on March 5: during this period, the country's political forces could present their programs and views, and today voters are given the right to think without prejudice to whom they will give their voices. The violation of the rules of conducting a political campaign, according to the Armenian legislation, entails administrative responsibility in the form of a fine in the amount of 200 to 500 minimum wages (from $ 400 to $ 1000).
The elections to the National Assembly of Armenia will be held for the first time after the adoption of amendments to the Constitution, providing for the transition to a parliamentary form of the government. For the first time in the history of the country, voting will take place only on a proportional system. 2009 polling stations will open tomorrow. The election will be conducted on April 2 at 08:00 local time (07:00 MSK) and will end at 20:00 (19:00 MSK).
According to the police, more than 2.56 million citizens are included in the voters register. The electoral legislation of Armenia does not provide for the organization of the polling stations outside the country.
Five parties will participate in the elections: the ruling Republican Party of Armenia (RPA), the Free Democrats, the Armenian Renaissance, the Armenian Revolutionary Federation ‘Dashnaktsutyun' (ARF) and the Communist Party (CPA), as well as the four blocs - the ‘Elk’ (Exodus) , ‘Tsarukyan’, ‘Ohanyan-Raffi-Oskanian’ (ORO), the Armenian National Congress - the People's Party of Armenia (Congress-ANC).
