European Union studies reports on local elections in Armenia (video)
The European Union is studying reports on local elections in Armenia, especially those provided by domestic observers. The EU takes note of their findings, Dirk Lorenz, Head of Political, Economic, Press and Information Section at the EU Delegation to Armenia, said on Friday. Today, the Council of Europe and European Union presented in Yerevan the mid-term results of projects for Eastern Partnership countries, with a special focus on Armenia. T The four country-specific projects being carried out in Armenia under the Programmatic Cooperation Framework in 2015-2017, focus on improving electoral processes in the country, combating ill-treatment and impunity, strengthening healthcare and human rights protection in Armenian prisons, as well as fighting corruption in higher education in Armenia. The projects are funded by the EU and the Council of Europe, and are implemented by the Council of Europe. The money allocated to Armenia under the projects also depends on the quality of the elections. “The next phase of the Action Plan with Armenia will be approved in mid-2017. Before that, parliamentary elections will be held in Armenia and their quality is extremely important [for us] in terms of continuing cooperation with Armenia,” Dirk Lorenz said. The total budget of these projects is 2.2 million Euros will be allocated to the country [Armenia] in three years. Speaking about the July events that followed the seizure of a police station in Yerevan’s Erebuni district Dirk Lorenz said he was aware that people were detained in the aftermath of the events. “I cannot comment on individual cases as it is up to the country’s authorities. It is important that the right to fair trial be upheld in all cases. The pretrial detention is to be proportionate.” Suren Krmoyan, Deputy Minister of Justice of Armenia, is also concerned about this. He says in the near future they will take definite steps with the support of European institutions. “There is no alternative to the legal system. We are trying to introduce new preventive measures in the Criminal Procedure Code. Those include home arrest and administrative detention,” he said. The lawyers of the Sasna Dzrer group members repeatedly complain of unfavorable conditions in prisons. Suren Krmoyan says by the end of the year or in January-February of the next year all penal institutions in Armenia will be equipped with primary healthcare services.
