Armenian parliament approves far-reaching constitution change

Agence France Presse — English
September 1, 2005 Thursday 6:28 PM GMT

YEREVAN Sept 1 — Armenia’s parliament approved constitutional changes
on Thursday that would reduce the president’s powers and increase
the independence of the courts, but which opposition parties see as
a ruse by President Robert Kocharian to stay on in office.

The changes, approved in a second reading and due for a third reading
before going to a referendum, would represent a substantial shake-up
of the former Soviet republic’s political system.

They include giving parliament a greater role in forming governments
and ending the president’s role as head of the government and head
of the Council of Justice.

They would also permit the holding of dual citizenship, a move that
would allow millions of members of the Armenian diaspora living in
the United States and elsewhere to have Armenian citizenship as well
as that of their home country.

Opposition parties refused to vote on Thursday’s proposals, suspecting
that the authorities would use the changing of the constitution as
an opportunity to discount Kocharian’s current second term in office
and let him stand again for election.

“The changes… would allow the president to nominate himself for
a third time,” Aram Sarkisyan, leader of the opposition Democratic
party, said.

Kocharian’s spokesman, Viktor Sogomonyan, denied the charge.

“Neither the current nor a changed constitution would allow the
president to stand for a third term,” Sogomonyan told AFP.

Armenia’s opposition parties had been boycotting parliament since
February last year, accusing Kocharian of rigging his re-election in
2003. But they were persuaded to return for the second reading by the
46-nation Council of Europe, which promotes human rights and democracy.

But they refused to vote on the changes.

In the event of approval in a third reading, the authorities plan a
referendum on the changes in November.