FIRST PRESIDENT IS RESPONSIBLE, SECOND GOVERNMENT
Lragir, Armenia
Nov 28 2006
Republican Member of Parliament Rafik Petrosyan stated November 28 at
the Friday Club that the bill on expropriation passed on November 27
has a number of drawbacks. Amazingly, however, lawyer Rafik Petrosyan
voted for the bill. His logic is that no law is worse than a bad law.
Rafik Petrosyan thought so when he voted. Now he thinks that the
opposition will go to the Constitutional Court, and as a result the
law will be refined and made constitutional and almost perfect. If the
opposition does not go to the Constitutional Court, Rafik Petrosyan
thinks that the Republican majority will gradually improve the bill it
passed. In answer to the question whether it was so urgent to adopt
the bill with so many disadvantages, and whether it was adopted to
legalize the past expropriation and decisions on future expropriation,
Rafik Petrosyan says no. According to him, the law, even though it
is imperfect, was necessary to regulate this sphere.
Vardan Mkrtichyan from the opposition thinks that even after the
adoption of the bill the field is not legal because the law is
unconstitutional, and therefore Ardarutiun Alliance is likely to
go to the Constitutional Court. It is clear what it will change –
nothing. The Constitutional Court has already made a decision that the
government decisions on expropriation are unconstitutional, however,
nobody was punished for unconstitutional actions. Republican Rafik
Petrosyan cannot say who should be punished for the illegal eviction
of the citizens.
"Some member of the government? This is already the internal problem
of the government. If they wish, they can reprimand an official who
pushed through the bill in the National Assembly. In fact, there is
not a definite person who could be accountable," Rafik Petrosyan says.
Vardan Mkrtichyan, a member of Ardarutiun Alliance, enumerates people
who are responsible. "First, it is Robert Kocharyan, second it is
the government, the whole government. Why? In 1998 the Constitutional
Court passed a decision that the government does not have the right
to make a decision on this issue, it should be regulated by the law.
The government, however, made a decision, and Robert Kocharyan signed
it," Vardan Mkrtichyan said.
Besides, Rafik Petrosyan says after the decision of the Constitutional
Court and the bill passed by the National Assembly the victims of the
unconstitutional decisions of the government can go to the court and
revise the decision of the court. However, Vardan Mkrtichyan says in
answer that the victims of previous and recent expropriation cannot
go to court because the bill provides for expropriation for primary
interests but does not define what a primary interest is.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
