Varuzhan Hoktnyan, Executive Director of Transparency International Anticorruption Center (TIAC) was the guest of “Irakan Hayatsk” (Real View) show of H3 television on December 9, 2015. The show addressed oversight of referendum through Electronic Monitoring of the Constitutional Referendum in Armenia project and “Citizen Observer” Initiative with an aim to prevent violations. Whatever happened during the referendum was manifestation of political corruption, when government officials used powers for illegitimate private gain. Respective amendments should be done to RA Law on population register. Certain strict requirements should be set to remove the names of those who left Armenia from the voter lists and institute of electronic documentation should be introduced.

“Citizen Observer” Initiative, which monitored referendum, registered hundreds of violations. It was possible to prevent violations in the polling stations, which were strictly monitored by the observers. On the other hand, the entire arsenal used during the referendum – ballot box staffing, carousel voting, re-assorting “for” ballots instead of “against” ones, intimidations, manipulations of voter lists, problems regarding ID cards which was an obvious regress compared with the prior elections, will make the observers monitor the elections more intensively. In the opinion of Varuzhan Hoktanyan if the manipulation of the voter lists be continued one should forget about 2017 elections. It is better to eliminate the institute of elections than to conduct such elections.

According to Electronic Monitoring of the Constitutional Referendum in Armenia project there are differences between the results of votes in favor of constitution in villages and towns and among various marzes (provinces) in Armenia. The population in towns cast fewer “Yes” votes than in villages. The marzes of Ararat Valley, Gegharkunik and south are more pro-government than those of north. 50-60% of population in the northern marzes Shirak, Lori, Tavush and 60-70% in Kotayk and Aragatsotn voted for the constitution, while the highest percentage of the population who voted in favor of the constitution were in Ararat Marz, Vayots Dzor and Gegharkunik.

The active part of the population should push the government to act in accordance with international standards. Regime change should be achieved through normal elections, change of elites, as a result of which the authorities should consider people’s opinion.