Armenian PM: no concept and text yet on new Constitution

YEREVAN, March 12. /ARKA/. There is no text of the new Constitution, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said to a press conference today.

"On the new Constitution there is no concept yet, there is no text, there is a political discourse, a political agenda," Pashinyan said.

He was responding to a question about when the constitutional referendum will be held. According to the prime minister, it will happen when he and his political team feel that the people of Armenia are sufficiently aware of 'what is going on and for what.'

At the same time, he noted that rumors have reached him that the referendum will be held this year or next year.

"Unfortunately, we are too late. It is practically impossible. At this stage, my task is to talk to society on this topic," Pashinyan said.

When asked whether the new Constitution will refer to the Declaration of Independence, the prime minister did not give a clear direct answer.

On January 19, Pashinyan said that Armenia needs a new Constitution, which will make the country more competitive and viable in new geopolitical conditions.

On February 1, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said that peace between the two countries can be achieved if Armenia 'puts an end to its territorial claims against Azerbaijan' and amends its Constitution and other legal documents.

According to him, Armenia's Declaration of Independence contains direct calls for the unification of Nagorno-Karabakh with Armenia and references to this document are also reflected in the Armenian Constitution. -0-