ArmenPress
Oct 20 2004

DEPUTY PARLIAMENT SPEAKER DENIES KOCHARIAN’S ASPIRATION FOR THIRD
TERM

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 20, ARMENPRESS: Deputy parliament chairman Tigran
Torosian warned today against pushing for radical changes in the
existing Election Law, saying a drastic reduction in the number of
seats contested under majoritarian system would result in
unpredictable consequences.
Under the existing law, 75 members of the parliament are chosen
under the system of proportional representation, while the remaining
56 parliament seats are distributed in single-mandate constituencies
across the country. The Armenian Revolutionary Federation, one of the
three members of the ruling coalition, pushes for a 100 percent
proportional representation system and another coalition member,
Orinats Yerkir is for a drastic reduction in the number of
majoritarian seats, while the Republican Party of Prime Minister
Andranik Margarian, which has the biggest parliament faction, is
opposed to that.
Last week the Armenian parliament approved in the first reading
amendments to the electoral legislation which leave the ratio as it
is, saying they will refer to it before putting the bill on the
second reading.
Torosian argued today that even the ARF and other politicians
advocating a 100 percent proportional representation realize that
their arguments are weak to root out election fraud. “Some people say
that money-bags usually win elections in majoritarian constituencies,
but all parties also include rich men with no experience of
legislative work in their slates ,” Torosian said, adding also that
Armenian political parties still have a long road to go to be
established as real political force.
The opposition that continues the boycott of parliament work,
argues that the proposed amendments would not have any effect in
terms of eliminating election fraud practices, saying that the
authorities can hold free and fair elections even with the existing
legislation, however it is going to put forward its own amendments,
which also call for abolishment of single-mandate constituencies and
give more rights to the proxies of election candidates.
Torosian denied also today allegations that a package of
constitutional reforms to be put on a nation-wide referendum would
include a clause lifting the current ban for a third term for
president. “We hope that political process in Armenia will be in line
with its Council of Europe obligations,’ he said.