Pros and cons – Armenian parliament factions’ visions for constitutional reform

YEREVAN, September 16. /ARKA/. A constitutional reform is being currently elaborated in Armenia. The final document is not ready yet; even then it has already given rise to heated discussions, particularly on transfer to parliamentary system. All six parliament factions presented their vision for the reform at a briefing on Friday.

Background: 

Under a decree of the Armenian president of September 4, 2013, a professional commission was set up to develop a constitutional reform. The president is expected to sign the reform concept in October. The draft reform package should be submitted within ten months after the concept is approved by the president.

Armenia’s president Serzh Sargsyan made a statement saying he would not run for president anymore. He also said he would not run for premier’s office either if the parliamentary system is picked. According to Sargsyan, the current system is most acceptable for Armenia in this stage.

Off-power coalition – There is no constitutional crisis today

 Head of Heritage faction Ruben Hakobyan said on Friday the constitutional reform is a priority to the Armenian authorities.

“In fact, there is no constitutional crisis leading to need for such hasty changes, but there is a political crisis the leadership wants to divert population’s attention from through a constitutional reform”, Hakobyan said

Hakobyan expressed hope the four off-power parties will reach consensus on the reform issue.

Secretary of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation Dashnaktsutiun faction Aghvan Vardanyan said the current constitution provides room for reproduction of power, hence reforms are needed to prevent it in the future and to reduce personal factors that influence decision making.

Head of the Armenian National Congress faction Levon Zurabyan refrained to comment on the upcoming reform and said his party’s position is well known. 

“I want to mention only that the authorities will not be able to sow discord within the off-power coalition using disagreements on the constitutional reform”, Zurabyan said.

Member of Prosperous Armenia party Vahe Hovhannisyan said the changes proposed do not fill in the gaps in the current constitution and reminded that the authorities were against the parliamentary system at the time.

 Under the current “neither peace, nor war” conditions it is necessary to maintain the presidential or semi-presidential governance to ensure prompt and efficient response if a military conflict is unleashed, Hovhannisyan said. Yet, he said, the party refrains from detailed comments before the proposed changes are clear.

Cautious approach preferred

Head of Orinats Yerkir faction Heghine Bisharyan, in her turn, said the faction is not rushing into comments on the upcoming reform.

“We are not familiar with the content of the reform and wait for discussions to give our conclusion afterwards”, she said.

The faction members believe the constitutional reform discussions are premature due to other more serious pending problems in the country. --0--