ENEMO is deploying an International Observation Mission to Armenia to observe the Parliamentary elections.

Due to the numerous reported shortcomings and election violations in Armenia, citizen monitoring groups and observer CSOs play a crucial role in ensuring transparency of electoral processes, prevention and detection of election frauds, raising awareness on violations and promoting adherence to internationally recognized standards, thus securing a greater public trust in elections and their results. The observation mission by the European Network of Election Monitoring Organizations (ENEMO) will conduct an overall assessment of the pre- and post-electoral process, in line with international standards for election observations. Additionally, the project will provide support to civil society organizations (CSOs) to carry out activities to advance political rights, civic engagement, democratic reform and dialogue. The project will have important elements of supporting gender equality; the rights of persons belonging to minorities, the rights of persons with disabilities and freedom of belief, expression and thought. This project aims to support Armenia’s efforts to harmonize the Armenian electoral framework with international standards and recommendations and providing citizens and civil society information from an observation mission purely led by election experts from the region.

This is the first observation mission of the European Network of Election Monitoring Organizations in Armenia. ENEMO launched activities at the beginning of November 2018 and the observation mission will stay in Armenia for close to six weeks after the elections and depart in mid-January 2019. ENEMO has submitted documents to the Central Election Commission (CEC) to facilitate accreditation of 6 Core Team members, 8 Long-Term Observers (LTOs) and 60 Short-Term Observers (STOs) for the upcoming early parliamentary elections.

ENEMOs four teams of Long-Term Observers (LTOs) - 8 persons in total –started their observations on November 16. The LTO teams will work out of Yerevan, Ijevan, Gyumri and Kapan. On Election Day, the Short-Term Observers plan to observe at least 450 polling stations, which represents about 23% of all polling stations in Armenia, and observe opening, voting and counting procedures as well as the transfer of protocols.

The Core Team is composed of the Mission Head - Zlatko Vujovic from Montenegro, Deputy Head - David Kankiya from Russia, Legal Expert/CEC observer - Oleg Reut from Russia, Press and Logistic Officer - Maja Milikic from Montenegro, Finance Officer - Teodora Gilic from Montenegro and LTO Coordinator - Gazmend Agaj from Albania.

This project is funded by the European Union and the Kingdom of the Netherlands.