TWO OF FIVE MAIN PROPOSALS OF OPPOSITION GET COMPLETE SOLUTION, RA NA VICE
SPEAKER ASSURES
YEREVAN, AUGUST 26, NOYAN TAPAN. In the period between the first and
second readings, the draft constitutional amendments were improved:
the provisions aimed at enhancing the role and significance of the
National Assembly and ensuring the independence of the judicial power,
and the provisions related to the formation of the government and the
principle of Yerevan mayor elections were stipulated, as well as some
amendments of editorial character were made.
Mher Shahgeldian, the speaker on the draft and member of the faction
“Orinats Erkir”, stated this at the August 26 sitting of the RA
National Assembly Ad Hoc Commission on Issues of Integration into
European Structures. According to the Commission Chairman, NA Vice
Speaker Tigran Torosian, 2 out of the 5 main proposals put forward by
the oppositional faction “Ardarutyun” (“Justice”) have received a
complete solution in the draft. It relates to the government’s
structure that shall be prescribed by law rather than by a
Presidential decree, as well as to the procedure of appointing the
Prime Minister. In particular, the draft provides that the President
appoints as Prime Minister a person enjoing the confidence of the
majority or the relative majority of the deputies. According to
T. Torosian, the opposition’s proposals to eliminate the President’s
power to appoint marzpets (regional governors) and to revise the order
of appointing the judges by the President, and to hold direct
elections of Yerevan Mayor “have solutions, which are regulated by
law”. However, the opposition believes that the given issues should
be regulated by the Constitution. Representative of the faction
“Justice” in the Commission Shavarsh Kocharian told NT correspondent
that until now the draft authors have assured that at least one
proposal of the opposition – that the government’s structure and order
of activities should be prescribed by law – has been completely
accepted. Yet, according to him, even it is done imperfectly, since
the provision on prescribing the government structure by law will take
effect in 2008, while the order of activities of the government and
its territorial subdivisions will be again prescribed by the RA
Presidental decree. According to S. Kocharian, the opposition is
dissatisfied with the draft’s solution of the Prime Minister
appointment issue: by nominating twice a candidate for the post of
Prime Minister, the President in fact can impose his choice, whereas
the NA will have to approve it under threat of being dissolved.