RUSSIAN NEWSPAPER INTENTIONALLY MISLEADS READER ON CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGES IN ARMENIA

Pan Armenian News
01.09.2005 04:28

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ “Monday the Armenian Parliament started consideration
of the draft of changes to the Constitution of Armenia. According to
the Kocharian Administration, it is necessary to make the Organic Law
“comply with European standards. However, in the opinion of observers
there is probability for the package of amendments to be transformed
into the new draft of the Constitution of Armenia. If this is the case,
the incumbent state head can get the right to start presidential
career from the beginning, i.e. maintain tenure for at least two
terms,” Nezavisimaya Gazeta (NG) writes. The opportunity of such a
transformation of the Republic Constitution has seriously alarmed the
Armenian opposition. Thus, as NG reports, leader of the Democratic
Party of Armenia, member of the political council of Justice bloc
Aram Sargsyan stated, “The republic authorities have initially tried
to push forward the amendments being discussed by the Parliament at
present as draft of the new Constitution, availing themselves with
the dual interpretation of the document title “Constitution of Armenia
(with amendments).” The opposition is not happy about the amendments,
in compliance with which the President – not the Parliament – has
the right to appoint the Government head. According to A. Sargsyan,
in case the deputies twice disapprove of the PM candidacy, Kocharian
acquires the right to dissolve the Parliament. “The adoption of this
amendment in case of the undertaking of prolonging tenure will allow
the President to become the PM and push through a dirigible successor
as the President,” A. Sargsyan said. However, Armenian authorities
do not see grounds for such apprehensions of the opposition. Thus,
Armenian President’s Press Secretary Victor Soghomonyan stated that
the amendments being considered by the Parliament are “nothing but
merely amendments to the Constitution of Armenia in force.” They are
legally designed as amendments and they will be such. The changes
in the Constitution will not entail passing a new Organic Law,” V.
Soghomonyan said. Meanwhile, as reported by NG, “Russia doubts the
frankness of Armenian official authorities.” In the opinion of a
newspaper informed source in the Russian President’s Administration,
“the transformation of the amendments being considered into the
draft of the new Constitution of Armenia and its following adoption
is inevitable.” “As far as it is known, all basic political forces
of Armenia have come to consensus over the issue. There is no doubt
that the amendments will become the final version of the Armenian
Constitution,” a Kremlin Administration top official told NG.
Simultaneously he doubts the option when Kocharian will resort to the
third presidential tenure is real. “The changes in the Constitution
can rather be considered as a concession by the Armenian leaders
under the Council of Europe pressure, as well as partially a move
toward the internal opposition. The draft of changes suggested is
aimed at reforming Armenia into a parliamentary republic, expansion
of the power of the Parliament and the Prime Minister. Besides,
Kocharian has stated many times that it is not his final tenure. He
most probably agrees to concessions to leave in peace later, not to
awaiting for internal political instability and maybe reserving the PM
chair for himself,” the NG source said. Armenian political scientist,
pro-rector of the CIS Caucasus Institute Aleksandr Iskandaryan agrees
with this. In his words, the formally adopted amendments limit and do
not strengthen the President’s authority. “The opinion of third tenure
for President Kocharian is totally impossible in my opinion. The
amendments being discussed in the Parliament at present are agreed
with the Venice Commission of the CE, which is utterly important to
Armenia and may become basis for introducing them,” A. Iskandaryan told
NG. Meanwhile, it should be noted that in compliance with article 50
of the Constitution of Armenia (with amendments), the President of
the Republic of Armenia is elected for a term of 5 years. The same
person cannot occupy the office of the President for more than two
terms successively. Special attention should also be paid to the fact
that the “very informed” authors of the article state Robert Kocharian
was elected for the first tenure in 1996. It should be noted that the
R. Kocharian was elected in the course of the presidential election
held March 30, 1998. Thus, one should note that the authors of the
article published in NG, to all appearance, aimed at intentionally
misleading readers, who do not have much information.