Yerevan - Opposition parties denounced electoral violations as Armenians voted in legislative polls Sunday for the first time since the adoption of constitutional reforms transforming the ex-Soviet country into a parliamentary republic.

The West sees the election as a key democratic test for the small landlocked nation of 2.9 million, which has no history of transfers of power to an opposition through the ballot box.

The vote is dominated by fierce competition between the ruling party of pro-Moscow President Serzh Sarkisian and an opposition coalition led by Gagik Tsarukian, a former arm wrestler who is one of the country's wealthiest businessmen.

Prime Minister Karen Karapetyan told journalists he "voted for progress and security," urging ballots be cast in "a spirit of solidarity and tolerance."

Turnout stood at 33% six hours after polls opened, the Central Electoral Commission said.

But opposition politicians reported violations at polling stations after previously warning that the government is preparing mass electoral fraud.

"We have recorded numerous violations at polling stations - violation of ballots' secrecy and multiple voting," Hovsep Khurshudyan, a leader of Ohanyan-Raffi-Oskanyan, an opposition coalition, told AFP.

Armenia's interior ministry said it was probing 320 complaints of irregularities, while Justice Minister Arpine Hovhannisyan demanded parties "refrain from incorrect claims of mass violations."

US-funded Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty said its correspondent Sisak Gabrielyan "was attacked by government loyalists in Yerevan on Sunday while covering Armenia's parliamentary elections."

Before the vote, the EU delegation to Armenia and the US embassy said in a joint statement that they were "concerned by allegations of voter intimidation, attempts to buy votes, and the systemic use of administrative resources to aid certain competing parties."

Violence flared following Sarkisian's election in 2008 with 10 people killed in clashes between police and opposition supporters.

This time, the country aims to hold an exemplary vote to elect "a parliament trusted by society," the president told AFP in a March interview.

He said his government "has made enormous efforts so that (Sunday's) milestone vote is flawless."

The polls follow constitutional amendments initiated by Sarkisian in 2015 that his opponents say were designed to keep his Republican Party in power.

The amendments will shift the country away from a strong presidency to a parliamentary form of government after Sarkisian's second and final term ends in 2018.

The opposition says the changes were made to allow Sarkisian, 62, to maintain his grip on power by remaining party leader after he steps down as president.

Sarkisian denies that, saying the changes are "part of Armenia's democratisation process."

Ahead of the vote, Sarkisian told AFP he would remain "active" in politics after he left office by staying as party leader.

"As chair of the Republican Party, I assume responsibility for my teammates," he said when asked about his post-2018 future.

Both ruling and opposition parties have campaigned on populist promises such as "jobs, wages, pensions," Gevorg Poghosyan, a pollster at the Armenian Sociologists' Association, told AFP.

"That's what matters to the voters" in a country where about 30 percent of the population live under the official poverty line, he said.

"The Republican Party and Tsarukian's coalition are likely to get the lion's share of seats in the new parliament - more than 80%," Poghosyan predicted.

Tsarukian has built his campaign on lavish promises to cut tariffs on natural gas and electricity and hike public-sector salaries and pensions. He accuses the government of failing to address poverty and endemic corruption.

A total of five parties and four electoral blocs are running in Sunday's vote, with 101 parliamentary seats up for grabs under a proportional representation system.

A party needs to clear a five-percent threshold to win seats, while an electoral bloc made up of several parties needs at least seven percent of the vote.

Voting was being monitored by international observers from the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe.</s>The Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) has criticised Armenia's weekend election, saying it was tainted by instances of vote-buying and interference.

President Serzh Sarksyan's ruling Republican Party of Armenia won Sunday's elections, official results showed, laying the foundation for a new parliamentary system of government.

The OSCE said in a statement the elections were well-administered and fundamental freedoms were generally respected.

But, it added, they had been marked by organisational problems and undue interference in the process, mostly by party representatives. It also noted some pressure on civil servants as well as private sector employees.

"The elections were tainted by credible information about vote-buying, and pressure on civil servants and employees of private companies," OSCE said in the statement.

With 100 percent of the vote already counted, official results show the Republican Party won with 49.12 percent votes. The opposition Tsarukyan Alliance, led by wealthy businessman Gagik Tsarukyan, gathered 27.32 percent.

Central Election Commission chairman Tigran Mukuchyan said the figures were based on results from all 2,009 polling stations.

He said nothing about violations of election rules. The prosecutor's office said it had been reviewing media reports of violations during the voting and counting process.

Opposition parties said they had also filed complaints on irregularities to the prosecutor's office, but gave no further details.

The election was Armenia's first under a new constitution, approved in a December 2015 referendum. Parliament, rather than voters, will elect the president for the first time in 2018.

The new system reduces the presidency to a ceremonial post and increases the powers of the prime minister.</s>RPA, Tsarukyan Bloc, Yelk Bloc, and ARF to Likely Pass Threshold to be Represented in Armenia’s National Assembly

YEREVAN (A.W)—Polls closed at 8 p.m. on April 2, in Armenia’s first Parliamentary Elections since the adoption of its new Constitution in 2015, with 1,574,947 registered voters (60.86 percent) participating. On April 3, at around 12 p.m., the Central Electoral Commission of Armenia (CEC) announced that with around 97 percent of the votes counted, that the ruling Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) had received around 49 percent of the total vote.

One other party—the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) (6.58 percent)—and two political blocs—the Tsarukyan bloc (27.32 percent) and the Yelk bloc (7.77 percent)—garnered enough votes to pass the threshold to be represented in Armenia’s National Assembly (Parliament).

According to Armenia’s Electoral Code, participating parties require a minimum of 5 percent of the vote, while political blocs require a minimum of 7 percent to be represented.

The five other contenders—the Free Democrats Party (0.94 percent), the Armenian Revival Party (3.71 percent), the Armenian National Congress (ANC)-People’s Party of Armenia (PPA) bloc (1.65 percent), the Communist Party of Armenia (0.75 percent), and the Ohanyan-Raffi-Oskanian bloc (2.7 percent)—are set to fail to pass the thresholds.

An unprecedented 28,000 election observers monitored the election, including about 300 Diaspora Armenians, who partnered with local and international non-government organizations (NGOs).

During the election, biometric machinery was used for the first time, to verify the identities of eligible voters and to register them. Also for the first time, cameras were set up in 1,500 of the 2,009 precincts, to live stream the voting. While these, and other safeguards were put in place for the election, several instances of violations and irregularities, voter-intimidation, and even election-related violence were reported from observers in precincts throughout Armenia.

In one case, an election monitor told the Armenian Weekly about an incident at a polling station in Yerevan’s Arabkir district, in which he was verbally attacked and threatened by the chairperson of the election precinct commission. Another monitor in the Zeitun district said that at least three verbal arguments broke out in the precinct to which she was assigned.

Observers of the Citizen Observer Initiative— a coalition of civic groups that deployed over 3,000 monitors across Armenia—identified about 2,000 violations and irregularities—1,147 of which were registered during the voting process. Meanwhile, observers from the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) did not report any violations.

One observer, representing a local NGO and stationed in a precinct in the Zeitun district, told the Armenian Weekly that a voter there had discovered the names of seven unidentified citizens who were registered to vote at his home address. In the same precinct, another voter discovered the name of her deceased mother on the voter list. After the observer inquired with the voter, she said that she had notified the precinct commission about irregularity.

Throughout the day, the Armenian Weekly was also notified about several unknown individuals loitering outside various precincts and observing voters enter and exit polling stations in various Yerevan districts, including Zeitun, Arabkir, Davtashen, and Kentron (downtown) Yerevan. Several instances of more than one person entering the voting booth were also reported.

On the evening of April 2, ARF Supreme Council of Armenia representative and ARF campaign manager Aghvan Vardanyan told reporters that he had appealed to the CEC and the Prosecutor General of Armenia, accusing RPA members of intimidating voters at precincts in the Gegharkunik and Araghatsotn provinces.

Vardanyan provided details about an incident in the town of Chambarak, where a group of RPA supporters tried to force ARF and opposition party/bloc representatives out of some polling stations. Vardanyan also said that a local RPA candidate had incited violence in certain villages in the Aragatsotn province, calling what had occurred a “fairly chaotic situation.”

Earlier on April 2, Sisak Gabrielian, a reporter for RFE/RL’s Armenian service, was physically assaulted by a group of men, said to be affiliated with the ruling RPA. Police in Yerevan confirmed the reports regarding the assault later in the day and announced that they were they are investigating the incident.

“The incident occurred after the journalist, Sisak Gabrielian, noticed that many voters in Yerevan’s Kond neighborhood are visiting a local campaign office of the ruling RPA just before going into a nearby polling station and casting ballots there. Some of them had cash in their hands as they left the office,” read a part of the RFE/RL’s report.

RPA spokesperson and Deputy Speaker of the Parliament Eduard Sharmazanov announced at a late-night news conference that the vote was “democratic, transparent, and competitive.” He also announced that the RPA is ready to extend its cooperation with the ARF, but would not be opposed working other potential coalition partners.

The RPA’s total votes may be enough for the party to form an absolute majority in the new Parliament. According to the Electoral Code, if any participating party or bloc achieves a minimum of 54 percent of the vote, they will be eligible to form government in their own right and their chosen individual will become the Prime Minister of Armenia.

If no party or bloc achieves a minimum of 50 percent +1 of the vote, they will be given an opportunity to negotiate with other parties or blocs to form a Coalition government. A maximum of three parties or blocs can form a Coalition government, and the Coalition government must be formed only by necessity of votes to cross the 54 percent threshold.

Before and during the elections, the RPA leadership repeatedly stated that if the party wins the vote, Prime Minister Karen Karapetian, who was appointed in Sept. 2016, will retain his post at least until President Serge Sarkisian completes his final presidential term in April 2018.</s>Amenia's ruling party won slightly less than 50 percent of the vote in a parliamentary election, officials said on Monday.

Sunday's vote, which was the nation's first since the former Soviet republic changed its constitution to expand power of parliament and the prime minister's office, allowed President Serzh Sargsyan's Republican Party of Armenia (HHK) to claim a majority of seats.

HHK claimed 49 percent of the vote, with businessman Gagik Tsarukian's opposition coalition trailing with 27 percent, and two other parties getting 5 percent — just enough to get seats in parliament — according to data released by the Central Election Commission. Official results are expected to be released later this week.

Critics have said the recent constitutional amendments are part of Sargsyan's efforts to retain control of the country after he steps down in 2018 due to term limits. If his party controls parliament, he could be appointed prime minister after that.

Sargsyan and his supporters have vigorously disputed that claim.

The observer mission of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) called Sunday's vote "well administered and fundamental freedoms were generally respected.'' OSCE officials, however, did acknowledge allegations of vote-buying and intimidation around the country.

Sona Ayvazyan, executive director of Transparency International Armenian, told VOA's Armenian Service, “Our observers recorded many violations related to the failures of technical equipment" such as electronic fingerprint scanners.

"These failures were not intentional, I assume," she added. "However, in terms of frequency, these failures were most frequent. ... We [also] saw the increase of pressure on and bribery of the voters."

"Prior to the voting, everything was already predetermined,” he said. "People were already registered as ‘units,’ and each of them was supposed to be bribed or threatened to vote for ruling candidates.

"What distinguishes this voting from previous elections is that, prior to this ... many people’s votes had been already bought by bribes, so there was no need for widespread violations during the ballot-counting process," Ishkhanyan added. "But is that a step forward? I would rather say these are the saddest elections, which illustrate final failure of civil and political institutes in Armenia.”

An RFE/RL reporter who was investigating allegations of vote-buying was attacked a few hours after polls opened.

The incident occurred after Sisak Gabrielian, a reporter with RFE/RL’s Armenian Service, saw citizens leaving an HHK office in Yerevan’s Kond neighborhood with money in their hands.

People inside the campaign office, who refused to identify themselves, said it was salary money and that citizens were not receiving "election bribes."

Gabrielian said he was then roughed up by ruling party loyalists, receiving minor injuries.

This report was produced in collaboration with VOA's Armenian Service Some information is from AP.</s>Armenia's President Serzh Sargsyan arrives at a polling station during a parliamentary election in Yerevan, Armenia, Sunday, April 2, 2017. Armenians voted Sunday in the country's first parliamentary election since the ex-Soviet nation modified its constitution to expand the powers of parliament and the prime minister. (PAN Photo, Davit Hakobyan/Photo via AP)

YEREVAN, Armenia (AP) — Armenia's ruling party has won just under half of the vote in the nation's parliamentary election, enough to claim a majority of seats, authorities said Monday.

Sunday's election was the first since the ex-Soviet nation modified its constitution to expand the powers of parliament and the prime minister.

The Republican Party of Armenia, led by President Serzh Sargsyan, won 49 percent of the vote, and the bloc led by businessman Gagik Tsarukian trailed with 27 percent, the Central Election Commission said on Monday after all ballots were counted.

Two more parties cleared the 5-percent barrier necessary to get seats in parliament. The official results are to be announced later this week.

Critics see the constitutional amendments as part of Sargsyan's efforts to retain control of the country after he steps down in 2018 due to term limits. If his party controls parliament, he could be appointed prime minister after that.

The observer mission of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe said in a statement on Monday that the vote was "well administered and fundamental freedoms were generally respected." The mission, however, pointed to reports of vote-buying, and pressure on civil servants and employees of private companies.

"Reform is a never-ending process, and I encourage the parliamentary majority and the new government to continue their efforts to transform the country's political culture, in partnership with the opposition, civil society and the international community," Ignacio Sanchez Amor, the mission's special coordinator, said in the statement.</s>Armenians voted Sunday in the country's first parliamentary election since the ex-Soviet nation modified its constitution to expand the powers of parliament and the prime minister. An exit poll released after voting stations closed showed the Republican Party of Armenia's president, Serzh Sargsyan, getting 46 percent of the vote, trailed by the bloc led by businessman Gagik Tsarukian with 29 percent.

Start the conversation, or Read more at WOGY-AM Pittston.</s>The parliamentary elections of April 2 in Armenia are tarnished by many cases of vote buying and interference in the election process, Peter Tase, political analyst and international relations expert with the Marquette University, told Trend.

He noted that the elections also had many organizational problems.

Tase reminded that the high pressure on civil servants and public employees at the elections was underlined in the recent OSCE report.

He further said that Armenia will continue to be ruled by President Sargsyan, and as a consequence, there is little hope for Armenian government to have a fresh air on its foreign policy.

“With the victory of Serzh Sargsyan’s party, the armed provocations on the line of contact [between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops] will continue to prevail in the coming months,” Tase said.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.</s>YEREVAN—Armenia’s Central Election Commission on Monday released the official results of Sunday’s Parliamentary Elections, which drew 60.8 percent of Armenia’s eligible voters to the polls in the first election since a new constitution was adopted in 2015.

Based on preliminary results, four political parties and alliances, out of the nine vying for seats, garnered the needed percentages to enter the parliament and form the new 101-member legislature, a change from the previous 131-person body.

The ruling Republican Party of Armenia received 770,718 (49.15 percent) of the votes. The “Tsarukian” Alliance, led by businessman and former parliament member Gagik Tsarukian garnered 428,892 (27.35 percent) votes, while the “Yelk” Alliance led by parliament member Nigol Pashinyan walked away with 121,997 (7.78 percent) of the votes. The Armenian Revolutionary Federation will remain in parliament. The party received 103,148 (6.58 percent) of the votes.

Political parties needed five percent or more of the votes to enter parliament, while opposition forces and alliances were required to have received seven percent to secure seats in the parliament. In order for a party or a bloc to form a government 54 percent of votes are required.

The other five political alliances did not garner the needed votes to secure seats in the parliament, thus the aforementioned four forces will rule the legislative branch, which in 2018 will elect a prime minister who will govern the country and complete Armenia’s shift to a parliamentary form of government.

The Armenian Renaissance Party received 58,274 (3.72 percent) votes, while the “ORO” Alliance that brought together former foreign ministers Vartan Oskanian and Raffi Hovannisian with former defense minister Seyran Ohanian received 32,487 (2.07 percent) votes. The “Congress-Armenian Democratic Party” Alliance, led by former president Levon Ter-Petrossian received 25,973 (1.66 percent) votes. Trailing these forces were the “Free Democrats” Alliance, which received 14,740 (.94 percent) votes and the Communist Party of Armenia, which came in last with 11,742 (.75 percent) votes.

Now the parties and the CEC will work together to determine the additional seats each party will receive from the proportional lists of candidates. This will increase the number of members for each party thus elevating their percentages.

The final results are expected to be announced later this week.</s>The vote is dominated by fierce competition between the ruling party of pro-Moscow President Serzh Sarkisian and an opposition coalition led by Gagik Tsarukian, a former arm wrestler who is one of the country's wealthiest businessmen. . . .

"We have recorded numerous violations at polling stations -- violation of ballots' secrecy and multiple voting," Hovsep Khurshudyan, a leader of Ohanyan-Raffi-Oskanyan, an opposition coalition, told AFP.

Armenia's interior ministry said it was probing 320 complaints of irregularities, while Justice Minister Arpine Hovhannisyan demanded parties "refrain from incorrect claims of mass violations."</s>Businessman and opposition leader Gagik Tsarukyan votes during a parliamentary election at a poling station in Yerevan, Armenia, April 2, 2017. Varo Rafayelyan/PAN Photo/Handout via Armenia's President Serzh Sarksyan casts his ballot during a parliamentary election at a poling station in Yerevan, Armenia, April 2, 2017.

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Authorities declare that the Republican Party, led by President Serzh Sargsyan, wins the Armenia election amid accusations by opposition parties and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe of voting irregularities.