Improved voter register presented in Yerevan with OSCE Office support

YEREVAN, 5 February 2007 - The first centralized national voter register was presented in Yerevan today with the support of the OSCE Office.

The lack of a proper voter database was noted as one of the major shortcomings of the electoral process in the last May 2003 parliamentary elections. This prompted the Armenian authorities to introduce legislative amendments in 2005 envisaging an entirely new centralized system that would allow effective maintenance and update of the voter information and establish the register under the Police Passport and Visa Department.

"An accurate voter register is crucial for ensuring good administration of elections," said Ambassador Vladimir Pryakhin, the Head of the OSCE Office. "The creation of a centralized register is a step forward and will help in preparing and conducting the 12 May parliamentary elections."

"As President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly and a Member of the Swedish Parliament, I am very happy to have the opportunity to open the Central Voter Register," said Goran Lennmarker, who is on a two-day official visit to Armenia. "It is essential to build public confidence in the upcoming election process and for this purpose this voter database is of great importance."

Ararat Mahtesyan, the First Deputy Head of the Armenian Police, said that elections  always proved to be a litmus paper that helps measure the level of democracy in any country. "In this respect, the Armenian authorities are fully determined to organize and conduct elections in line with European standards," he added.

The event , organized together with the Armenian Police, brought together some 60 representatives of State institutions, public organizations, the international community and civil society.