Armenian paper critical of coalition-proposed constitutional amendments

Haykakan Zhamanak, Yerevan
12 May 05

Text of unattributed report by Armenian newspaper Haykakan Zhamanak on
12 May headlined “Super president”

One can say for sure that if under the current constitution the head
of the country has great power, in accordance with the constitutional
amendments submitted by the coalition [to Armenian parliament] we will
get not only a strong but a super president.

Let us mention several additional powers that the president might
gain. While under the current constitution the president can appoint
somebody to civil posts, under the coalition’s draft, he will have the
right to make appointments to state posts as well. While under the
current constitution the president has to approve the
prosecutor-general of Armenia nominated by the prime minister, under
the draft amendments, he can appoint the prosecutor-general without
consulting anybody.

The president has been invested with one more right: he will
coordinate the state structures’ activity in the sphere of defence. It
is clear that this will give the president the right to coordinate the
activity of any state structure. While under the current constitution
the president appoints the top command staff, under the submitted
draft he appoints the top command staff of other troops as well. This
means that any moment “other” troops necessary for the authorities may
be created.

While under the current constitution the president has the right to
veto a government decision, under the submitted draft the president
has the right to veto a government decision for a month and to apply
to the Constitutional Court to verify whether these decisions are in
line with Armenian laws. Moreover, if under the current constitution
the government appoints local governors, under the coalition’s draft
amendments, the president appoints and dismisses governors according
to the prime minister’s suggestion.

Furthermore, the coalition’s draft envisages absolute dependence of
the government on the president: if the National Assembly is brave
enough not to endorse twice the programme of the government’s activity
submitted by the president, the president has the right to dissolve
the parliament.

Next week the authorities of Armenia will introduce all these super
powers to international experts as a means to counterbalance and
separate branches of authority.