When asked to comment on the common perception in Armenia that bribery in the electoral system is endemic, Hrach Tovmasyan, nominated by the ruling Republican Party of Armenia to head the newly formed State-Legal and Human Rights Protection Standing Committee of the Armenian parliament, said that to have clean elections the public’s political and legal quality levels must be raised.

Tovmasyan, a former chief head-secretary for the parliament’s staff, said that one can pass laws left and right to fight electoral corruption risks, but that, in the end, the public must be weaned off the notion of accepting and handing out bribes.

Tovmasyan said that he was willing to work day and night on new initiatives if selected to head the parliamentary committee, a merger of two former ones.