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International observers noted "improvements" on Election Day.

Likewise the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) said the vote was “mostly in line with the country’s international commitments”.

The two major observer bodies released preliminary reports today that hardly compared to on-site accounts from polling stations where mass fraud was alleged.

“The violations observed in about 64 percent of [Armenia’s 1,923] polling stations were not of mass nature, were purely technical and did not influence the outcome of the election,” said the CIS report.

The mission’s 193 observers began their work on January 22, establishing headquarters in the four main towns of Armenia – Yerevan, Gyumri, Vanadzor and Kapan.

Alexander Torshin, Mission Group Head, Deputy Chairman of the Council of the Federation of the Russian Federation’s Federal Assembly, said that the authorities of Armenia had created good legal grounds for holding free elections.

“The changes in the amended electoral code created an opportunity for voters to vote even in the places of their actual residence, which is an important indicator of a democratic process. An opportunity was also created for people with limited mobility,” Torshin said.

The OSCE report paid attention to the vote counting process and did not address any allegations of voting irregularities.

While essentially endorsing the vote that led to Serzh Sargsya’s presidency, the OSCE report based on accounts of some 400 observers, said that ultimately “the final choice lies in the hands of the Armenian people”.

And anticipating further tensions in Armenia’s domestic politics, Russian State Duma deputy Konstantin Zatulin urged the opposition to “think about the future of Armenia” as he stressed that instability and tensions are “bad companions” of a political process.

“I respect the first president of Armenia, but I must say that he has driven himself to an impasse, it is not late yet to think about Armenia’s stability,” Zatulin said.