WHO SHOULD NAME PRIME MINISTER IN KARABAKH

Lragir.am
04 Sept 06

The draft constitution of NKR is under consideration in the NKR
National Assembly. There are a number of disputable questions,
including who names the prime minister. In accordance with the draft,
the head of state names and dismisses the prime minister. Not everyone
agrees to this provision. For instance, Gagik Poghosyan, member of the
Azat Hayrenik Party says the National Assembly should name a prime
minister. However, he thinks that unlike Armenia, the president
of Karabakh should be empowered to dismiss the prime minister,
considering the reality of NKR.

"I think the government staff should reflect the political pattern
of the parliament," said Gagik Petrosyan.

Vahram Atanesyan, the leader of the faction of the Democratic
Party says the draft constitution provides for the division of the
legislative, executive and judicial bodies. "Although we would like
to reach more clarity on these mechanisms during the parliamentary
debates. Namely, on the constitutional mechanisms of forming government
and parliamentary control over the activities of the government,"
said Vahram Atanesyan.

"We think the balance of the executive, legislative and judicial
bodies is not sufficient. Namely, the executive is apparently given
more powers. In the Constitution of Armenia, this balance is kept
to a certain degree. In accordance with the Constitution of Armenia,
the parliament majority names the prime minister, whereas according to
our draft constitution, the president names prime minister. You may
ask what the problem is. In fact, if the political sphere in Armenia
is in the stage of establishment, in Karabakh it is just forming.

Hence, it may become another reason why the political sphere will
remain in its former state. And an established political sphere is
highly important for a state like Karabakh," said Arthur Mosiyan,
the representative of ARF Dashnaktsutyun to Artsakh.

Apparently, the provision on naming prime minister will give rise to
heated debates. Certain political forces may wish that the parliament
majority name the prime minister. The problem will become complicated
in the sense that in the present parliament of NKR only one third
was elected under the proportional system. And the pattern of the
parliament is not set down in the draft constitution at all.