PARLIAMENT CHAIRMAN URGES OPPOSITION TO STOP BOYCOTT

ArmenPress
Nov 24 2004

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 24, ARMENPRESS: Armenian parliament chairman
Arthur Baghdasarian called again on the opposition urging it to end
its several-months long boycott of parliament ‘s work and return to
legislature at a moment when it is discussing bills of key importance,
“that will guide Armenia’s economic, political, cultural and scientific
progress in the next decade.”

In his annual report to the parliament, Baghdasarian said the absence
of the opposition in the parliament could not be justified any longer.

He once again reiterated the readiness of the ruling coalition,
first voiced last May, to engage in dialogue with the opposition
“to seek jointly ways out of a range of very pressing problems.”

“I think it is high time for the opposition to revise its style of
work and get involved into the country’s and parliament’s work,”
he said, adding that apart from parliament’s boycott there are other
ways of political struggle.

Opposition lawmakers have been refusing to attend parliament since
February in protest of last year’s re-election of president Robert
Kocharian in a vote, which they claim was marred by widespread
irregularities. They say they want to change the law on referendums
so a vote can be held to learn whether Armenians have confidence
in Kocharian.