We have already written that the supporters and opponents of two candidates have started a rather intense propaganda in the blogs. When recently Observer posted the list of ten propaganda blogs, there was a big fuss about it. Several bloggers that were particularly being accused tried to prove they were real people, and not disguised employees of NSS. Bloggers even purposefully met with Countrev in order to make sure he existed.

However, the fact remains a fact: for the last month, numerous blogs have opened, the main function of them being apparent campaigning. Sure, the motives are not clear since we don’t know who has been backing them up. It should be noted that the fuss around all of this in the blogs rather toned down the influence of such campaign blogs.

On the eve of these elections, net videos are being actively used. Particularly, Levon Ter-Petrossian’s team has given up television airtime, posting video materials in the web site of the candidate, as well as in YouTube.

Also, we should not forget to mention the special web site launched against Serzh Sargsyan and Hovik Abrahamyan: Serzhu.net.

The Zvartnots airport official web site surprised us. As soon as a visitor opens it, he has to read the following in the unexpectedly appearing pop-up window, “We would not like our transportation to be implemented only by LEVON TRAVELS buses as in early 90s.” There are two more paragraphs of sweet words addressed to the former authorities, and a link to another web site where you could find the http://www.menq.am/economy/famous “fuel oil” commission report and other related articles from the press.

Pre-election passions are rather active also at social networks. Thus, there are 321 members registered in the group Republic of Armenia Presidential Elections 2008 in Facebook. There are eight members in the group Armenian Elections 2008.

There are groups supporting the candidates in Facebook. One of them is supporters of Levon Ter-Petrossian where 61 people are registered. People conducting propaganda against LTP have their own group that is called Levon Ter-Petrossian’s disdainers that has 67 members. The other group - All for Tigran Karapetich Karapetyan, Armenian Presidential Elections 2008 - is a small one, having just 9 members.

Tigran Karapetich himself is also registered in the users’ list, having 68 friends in the net. It is tough to judge who is involved in this? Perhaps somebody, taking into consideration the affection of the people that Karapetich enjoys, has just decided to do a kind work.

Vazgen Manukyan’s electoral headquarters make use of another social network that is very popular among the Russian-language Internet community – Odnoklassniki.ru. Here, Vazgen Manukyan user (only registered users can view) that already has friends, keeps promoting the election site of the candidate and posting other campaign-related news.

Apparently, such virtual means do not yet greatly affect the election results in Armenia. However, in spite of the fact that Internet users do not form a big percentage in Armenia, they are one of the most active groups of voters. This circumstance can have an incomparably bigger influence than it seems at a first glance.

SAMVEL MARTIROSYAN (kornelij.livejournal.com)