Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2008-03-13-Speech-4-189"
| Predicate | Value (sorted: default) |
|---|---|
| rdf:type | |
| dcterms:Date | |
| dcterms:Is Part Of | |
| dcterms:Language | |
| lpv:document identification number |
"en.20080313.18.4-189"2
|
| lpv:hasSubsequent | |
| lpv:speaker | |
| lpv:spokenAs | |
| lpv:translated text |
"Mr President, in presidential elections we increasingly see continuing uncertainty as to whether the preferred candidate of the ruling government has actually won a true majority of the votes as well as just a large number of votes. Even where that candidate does have a true majority, doubts remain about the size of that majority, certainly where manifest attempts have been made to inflate it artificially.
When, in addition, some candidates are prevented from standing, when only the government-endorsed candidate has access to press, radio and television, when the opposition or foreign observers are not able to monitor the count properly, when peaceful protests against the officially declared results are broken up by army and police and opposition leaders are arrested, there is every reason for very serious doubt that the will of the electorate has been upheld.
We have seen controversial presidential elections of this kind outside Europe in Mexico and Kenya, and within Europe in Belarus, Russia, Georgia and Armenia. Even without these elections Armenia was in an extremely difficult position. Traditionally it has strong ties with Russia but is separated from it by neighbouring Georgia, which has a serious conflict with Russia, and neighbouring Azerbaijan, which has for many years had a border dispute with Armenia.
When the Russian province of Transcaucasia was divided up along ethnic lines in the 1920s the enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh, populated by Armenians, was given to Azerbaijan by way of a compromise, with a guarantee of regional Armenian autonomy. That solution is no longer workable in the post-Soviet era, since the two states of Azerbaijan and Armenia are now enemies. In fact the territory is currently occupied by Armenia, and this has led to a protracted conflict with its eastern neighbour, though a ceasefire is in force. This kind of situation, with a permanent threat of war and blockades, provides fertile ground for authoritarian government to flourish and it is unremittingly difficult for democracy to function in the country.
The events since the 19 February elections come as no surprise. Even so we must make every effort to get democratic conditions restored and the rights of the opposition reinstated. The wishes of the European Union or its Member States for good relations with the
rulers of countries like Russia, Belarus, Georgia or Armenia must take second place behind this prime imperative."@en1
|
| lpv:unclassifiedMetadata |
Named graphs describing this resource:
The resource appears as object in 2 triples