The chief of the Armenian police, Valeri Osipian, pledged on Friday to prevent anyone from buying votes in the upcoming municipal elections in Yerevan.
“I can assure you that there will be no [vote buying] both in the pre-election period and on election day,” he told RFE/RL’s Armenian service in an interview.
Osipian said that the police are already taking “prophylactic measures” against individuals who have handed out vote bribes in previous Armenian elections. Also, he said, police officers will be deployed in all 470 or so polling stations in Yerevan during the September 23 vote.
“You can tour all those places and I am sure that you will not see the kind of shortcomings which we have had in the past,” added Osipian.
Vote buying was widespread in just about every major election held in Armenia in the last two decades. Former President Serzh Sarkisian’s Republican Party of Armenia (HHK) was accused by its opponents and media of heavily relying on it in the last parliamentary polls held in April 2017. The HHK has decided not to take part in the September 23 elections.
The Armenian government approved on Thursday a bill that would make it a criminal offense to not only buy but also sell votes. The practice is currently punishable only by fines. The government bill would introduce prison sentences for it.
The Prosperous Armenia Party (BHK) of businessman Gagik Tsarukian has also faced allegations of vote buying from its rivals and critics. Some Armenian civic groups claim that the BHK has already started offering voters in Yerevan material benefits.
Osipian said that some political groups may be gearing up vote bribes. “We have clear information but it’s still too early to publicize it or take any action,” he said, refusing to name anyone.