CITIZENS DO NOT REMEMBER CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM

Lragir, Armenia
Nov 27 2006

"If in a year after the Constitutional Reform you ask a citizen what
positive things happened in real life, you are sure not to hear any
answer or explanation," stated Aram Karapetyan, the leader of the
Nor Zhamanakner Party during the discussion at the National Press
Club in a year after the referendum on Constitution on November 27,
2005. He thinks that the citizens do not remember what amendments
were made to the Constitution a year ago.

According to him, the political consequence of the referendum on
Constitution is that it made clear to the society and the international
community that it is impossible to reach real changes in Armenia
through ballot. The second consequence, according to Aram Karapetyan,
is that the possibility of ensuring real progress in the country was
wasted, because the amendments to the Constitution were not the will
of people. The third important consequence is, according to Aram
Karapetyan, the unanimous approval of the society for the call of
the opposition to boycott the referendum.

"It is another problem that the opposition failed to use this support
for objective and subjective reasons," Aram Karapetyan says.

According to him, the current internal political processes, especially
in the government camp, when political parties are set up on money, and
politics is confined to distributing potatoes, are also a consequence
of the falsified referendum. "When the Constitution is raped, the
other laws can be raped as well," said Aram Karapetyan describing
the behavior of the government and pro-government forces.