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CHALLENGES FACING ARMENIA MAY REQUIRE NEW SOLUTIONS
19:43 27.08.13
Below is an interview with Davit Harutyunyan, Chairman of the Standing
Committee on State and Legal Affairs, Parliament of Armenia.
- Mr Harutyunyan, the 168 zham website, quoting its sources, has
reported that constitutional amendments are planned. In an interview
with the media outlet you said you saw the need for them. Are you
informed of when the process is to be started?
- When a relevant task group has been formed. I think the process
will be started soon afterwards.
- Is it expected to be under a presidential order?
- Yes
- Who are prospective members of the group? Ministers, the President
of the Constitutional Court?
- I cannot say. It is up to Armenia's president to decide.
- You have said that a transition from the current semi-presidential
system to parliamentary government is not on the agenda now. You
mentioned amendments concerning democratic institutions and so on. Can
you say that the amendments will not bring about any changes in the
government system?
- I only said that all the issues would be discussed.
- I far as I remember, at parliamentary hearings, you objected to a
switch-over to the proportional representation system and a switch-over
from the semi-presidential system to parliamentary government. Do
you still hold this stand?
- Parliamentary government exists in dozens of forms. I objected to
the form that was proposed and I still do.
- The Armenian Revolutionary Federation Dashnaktsutyun (ARF-D) is one
of the four political forces that were involved in the hearings. Lilit
Galstyan, a member of the ARF-D parliamentary group, explains the
amendments by "the elite's passions" - desire for reproduction. In his
turn, Heritage party member Styopa Safaryan feels something "fishy"
about it.
- They are nothing but political statements which do not need comments.
- Mr Harutyunyan, the concepts of parliamentary government,
semi-presidential and presidential systems have supporters. Their
argument is that Armenia is a blockaded country and has a frozen
conflict. So it needs the institution of presidency.
- I think any issue needs discussing. And present-day challenges
facing Armenia may require new solutions.
Armenian News - Tert.am
19:43 27.08.13
Below is an interview with Davit Harutyunyan, Chairman of the Standing
Committee on State and Legal Affairs, Parliament of Armenia.
- Mr Harutyunyan, the 168 zham website, quoting its sources, has
reported that constitutional amendments are planned. In an interview
with the media outlet you said you saw the need for them. Are you
informed of when the process is to be started?
- When a relevant task group has been formed. I think the process
will be started soon afterwards.
- Is it expected to be under a presidential order?
- Yes
- Who are prospective members of the group? Ministers, the President
of the Constitutional Court?
- I cannot say. It is up to Armenia's president to decide.
- You have said that a transition from the current semi-presidential
system to parliamentary government is not on the agenda now. You
mentioned amendments concerning democratic institutions and so on. Can
you say that the amendments will not bring about any changes in the
government system?
- I only said that all the issues would be discussed.
- I far as I remember, at parliamentary hearings, you objected to a
switch-over to the proportional representation system and a switch-over
from the semi-presidential system to parliamentary government. Do
you still hold this stand?
- Parliamentary government exists in dozens of forms. I objected to
the form that was proposed and I still do.
- The Armenian Revolutionary Federation Dashnaktsutyun (ARF-D) is one
of the four political forces that were involved in the hearings. Lilit
Galstyan, a member of the ARF-D parliamentary group, explains the
amendments by "the elite's passions" - desire for reproduction. In his
turn, Heritage party member Styopa Safaryan feels something "fishy"
about it.
- They are nothing but political statements which do not need comments.
- Mr Harutyunyan, the concepts of parliamentary government,
semi-presidential and presidential systems have supporters. Their
argument is that Armenia is a blockaded country and has a frozen
conflict. So it needs the institution of presidency.
- I think any issue needs discussing. And present-day challenges
facing Armenia may require new solutions.
Armenian News - Tert.am