Armenia’s election authority rejects request to bar major opposition party from polls

YEREVAN, June 6. /TASS/. Armenia’s Central Election Commission (CEC) has refused to grant the request by Armenia’s pro-European Hanrapetutyun Party to deem invalid the registration of its electoral rival, opposition party Strong Armenia, for the June 7 parliamentary election.

The decision was made during an emergency meeting of the commission, aired by local TV.

"The CEC rules to turn down [Hanrapetutyun Party leader] Aram Sarkisyan’s June 5 request," CEC chair Vaagn Ovakimyan said. "The decision comes into force after being published.

The decision can be appealed within three days.