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A mission of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) is observing the preparations for and the conduct of a constitutional referendum in Armenia, the office of CIS Observer Mission said.

The CIS observers met with top officials of Armenian Prosecutor General’s Office to get information about the authority of Prosecutor’s Office during the upcoming referendum on constitutional amendments. A working group was set up at Prosecutor’s Office to respond to citizens’ complaints about illegal interference with the processes of campaigning, voting and subsequent procedures.

At a meeting with chiefs of Armenian Police, the mission members were informed about order of compiling and keeping the lists of citizens eligible to vote in the referendum. The Police’s Passport and Visa Department in charge of the Voter Register has released preliminary voter lists available in the precinct  electoral commissions and on the police website. 
  
“Since October 27 the lists have also been made accurate through a hotline set up in the Passport and Visa Department of Armenian Police. Seminars, during which the referendum procedures were explained, have been conducted for members of precinct commissions to raise their professionalism. CIS Mission members attended some of the seminars,” the Mission said in a statement.

CIS observers continue familiarizing themselves with activities of district electoral commissions. They have visited Armenia’s Aragatsotn, Lori, Tavush, Gegharkunik and Kotayk provinces. They had the opportunity to see records of commissions’ meetings and documents related to the referendum’s conduct, and to talk with members of the commissions.

CIS observers began arriving in Armenia on December 3. The CIS Mission Office prepared the necessary information and methodological materials for them and determined the Armenian regions where they will observe the referendum.