CONSTITUTIONAL INITIATIVE NEW UNION INTENDS TO TAKE ACTIVE PART IN CONSTITUTION’S REFORMATION

YEREVAN, MAY 18, NOYAN TAPAN. The main goal of the Constitutional
Initiative union of NGOs is to take an active part in the process
of reformation of RA Constitution. This was announced at the May
18 press conference of the new union. The union including 6 NGOs –
the Choice is Yours organization, Union of RA Judges, Union of RA
Lawyers and others, worked out a package of proposals with joint
efforts, which was submitted to MPs and a number of interested
organizations. Haroutiun Hambartsumian, Director of the Choice is
Yours organization, mentioned that the main goal of the union is to
submit a number of fundamental proposals concerning the draft of
constitutional reforms approved at RA NA in the first reading and
to assist to their inclusion in the text of the draft amendments
submitted for approval in the second reading. Khachik Voskanian,
Deputy Director of the organization, expressed anxiety in connection
with the fact that the draft, in particular, the thesis regarding
rallies, contains no word about processions and it is only mentioned
that people may conduct rallies. Haroutiun Hambartsumian reported
that the union plans to hold a number of discussions of experts,
to hold consultations with RA NA groups and factions, etc. before
conducting a referendum on the constitutional reform. It was mentioned
that the union suggests all NGOs, citizens and political forces taking
an active part in discussions concerning the constitutional reform
and submitting their proposals.