ArmenPress
Sept 22 2004

DEPUTY PARLIAMENT SPEAKER SAYS CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS BASED ON
HUMAN RIGHTS RESPECT

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 22, ARMENPRESS: Deputy parliament chairman
Tigran Torosian praised today the working Constitution, passed in
1995, saying it has contributed significantly to the democracy
development and establishment of government institutions, but added
that it has some shortcoming constraining the country’s progress,
which he said result from Armenia’s scanty experience in
constitutional right and practice back in 1995.
He said the expected constitutional amendments, proposed by the
ruling majority, are based on constitutional guarantees ensuring the
citizens’ right to exercise their freedoms. He also emphasized a
clause in the draft constitution that empowers the legislature with
the right to elect the human rights defender, vesting him or her with
the power to address to the Constitutional Court for protection of
citizens’ rights.
Another important clause, according to Torosian are a chain of
amendments aimed to reform the judicial system, under which the
Justice Council, headed now by the president of the country, will be
immune from the executive power’s influence. Under the clause the
Council will be headed by one of its members.
The deputy parliament chairman also said the package of amendments
seeks to create a balance among power branches. Some other changes
are expected also to introduce more clarity in respect to local
self-management bodies. Another draft amendment would allow the
parliament to endorse or reject a prime minister nominated by the
president, but the latter would be empowered to dissolve it if his
candidacies are rejected by lawmakers for three consecutive times.
Torosian said two other packages of alternative constitutional
reforms, proposed by Arshak Sadoyan and the United Labor Party will
be also discussed in the parliament. He said the conclusion of the
Council of Europe Venice Commission on the amendments, designed by
the majority, will arrive in early October.