Presidential Hopeful Rebuffs Vote’s Critics

Acting President Robert Kocharyan, who will face ex-Communist leader Karen S. Demirchyan in a presidential election runoff, said voting irregularities were scattered and did not affect the outcome. Kocharyan won 39% of the vote in Monday’s election, and Demirchyan secured 31% to go into the runoff March 30, the election commission said. The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe said the voting was flawed and voiced concern that the irregularities would be repeated. Kocharyan’s supporters were blamed for most of the violations, but he dismissed many of the OSCE’s criticisms.