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Armenian Opposition Stops Boycott of Parliament Sessions

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  • Armenian Opposition Stops Boycott of Parliament Sessions

    ARMENIAN OPPOSITION STOPS BOYCOTT OF PARLIAMENT SESSIONS

    Mediamax news agency
    30 Mar 04

    YEREVAN

    Deputies from the Justice and National Unity opposition parliamentary
    factions stopped boycotting meetings of the Armenian National Assembly
    today.

    Deputies representing the Justice and National Unity blocks registered
    today for taking part in the National Assembly's meetings, Mediamax's
    parliamentary correspondent reports.

    According to talks in the corridors, the opposition deputies, who
    boycotted Armenian parliament meetings in February, decided to return
    to the session hall in order to hamper plans of the ruling
    coalition. The latter, having majority in the parliament,
    intentionally did not secure a quorum in the National Assembly
    today. Thus, coalition representatives were going to foil the
    parliament meeting during which every Tuesday deputies make
    statements. Justice and National Unity faction representatives, who
    demand the Armenian president's resignation, made it clear the day
    before that they were going to use the parliament rostrum in order to
    call on their adherents to take an action of civil disobedience.

    Representatives of the Justice and National Unity opposition factions
    declared a boycott of the Armenian parliament's sessions on 2
    February. The opposition walked out of the parliament after the
    parliamentary majority rejected the proposal on making amendments and
    additions to the law "On referendum". The opposition intended to
    achieve changes to the law in order to initiate a referendum on a vote
    of confidence in the country's current authorities.

    After the last year's presidential elections, opponents of (President)
    Robert Kocharyan appealed to the Constitutional Court of Armenia
    suggesting that the results of the voting announced by the Central
    Electoral Commission (CEC) be declared invalid. The CEC refused to
    satisfy the claim of the opposition, and on 16 April 2003 suggested
    that the president and the parliament hold a vote of confidence in the
    authorities within a year in order to lessen the political tension in
    the country.

    The Constitutional Court leadership explained earlier this year that
    the proposal on the referendum was "not an imperative but of a
    non-mandatory nature", i.e. it was not an obligation but a
    recommendation.
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