The preliminary version of the draft joint opinion of European Commission for Democracy through Law (Venice Commission) and OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (OSCE/ODIHR) on the new draft Electoral Code of Armenia was released on April 20, 2011. Significant changes should be made in the current draft Code, particularly regarding legal provision limiting transparency in order to ensure full compliance with OSCE commitments, Council of Europe and other international standards for the conduct of democratic elections.

Areas which could be addressed include: allowing election observers to undertake their duties without any unreasonable restrictions; improving provisions for the count and tabulation process, reviewing the formation of election commissions to ensure their independent functioning and public confidence in their work, including the determination of election results; removing any unreasonable restrictions on candidacy rights; removing any unreasonable restrictions on campaigning, while ensuring a separation of state and party/candidate structures; reconsidering the use of new voting technologies for out-of-country voters; clarifying the difference between a recount and an audit of results; and improving complaint and appeal procedures to ensure effective remedy.

See the draft text on the web page of RA National Assembly's Standing Committee on State and Legal Affairs