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PACE: Failure of Referendum on Const. Reforms A Difficult Situation

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  • PACE: Failure of Referendum on Const. Reforms A Difficult Situation

    IN CASE OF FAILURE OF REFERENDUM ON CONSTITUTIONAL REFORMS ARMENIA TO
    APPEAR IN VERY DIFFICULT SITUATION, PACE CHAIRMAN WARNS

    YEREVAN, AUGUST 22, NOYAN TAPAN. The delegation headed by Rene van der
    Linden, the Chairman of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Counsil of
    Europe, which was on a three-day visit in Armenia, had meetings with
    groupings-factions of the RA National Assembly and members of the
    Committees. Tigran Torosian, the RA NA Deputy Chairman, the Chairman
    of the Ad-hoc Committee on Matters of Integration in European
    Structures, briefly presenting the present stage of the constitutional
    reforms, mentioned that today, the Constitutional reform is the most
    important issue for Armenia both on political arena and within the
    context of the obligations undertaken at the CE. He stated that the
    final conclusion of the Venice Commission was received on July 21
    which has fixed a complete fulfilment of the agreements, except two
    points, concerning which there is still something to do. According to
    T.Torosian, during the last month, there were meetings with public
    organizations, soon there will be discussions with the authors as well
    to improve the draft upmost. The NA Chairman considered important and
    necessary the implemention of a dialogue among all political forces
    around the Constitutional reforms, which is the demand of the
    resolution of the Venice Commission and the PACE. T.Torosian mentioned
    that the Constitutional reforms are of particular meaning for Armenia
    and it is necessary to work in order that no important proposal is
    left out. At the same time, he expressed a hope that opportunities to
    secure the issue from political speculations and to give solutions to
    all problems have not been exhausted yet. Rene van der Linden
    mentioned that for Armenia, the referendum of the constitutional
    reforms will become a touchstone, and for Azerbaijan, the
    parliamentary elections will become a touchstone, as both countries
    have not come out of the CE monitoring process. He expressed a hope
    that the most important problem for politicians is the country's
    coming out of the monitoring process and implementation of the
    obligations undertaken at the CE what is a national obligation. Within
    this context, a successful holding of the referendum was attached
    importance to; that will support implementation of the political
    dialogue what is equally an issue both of authorities and opposition.

    The issue of the public awareness around contents problems was also
    attached importance to. It was mentioned that the referendum will be
    in the center of the attention of the Council of Europe: 40 CE
    observers will participate in the referendum, and results will undergo
    monitoring. According to the information submitted to Noyan Tapan by
    the RA NA Public Relations Department, Shavarsh Kocharian, Gurgen
    Arsenian amd Hmayak Hovhannisian, committee members, presented their
    viewpoints around the process of the constitutional reforms. Armen
    Rustamian, the Chairman of the NA Standing Committee on Foreign
    Relations, presenting the functions of the Committee to the guests,
    mentioned that among the Committee's activities, a great place is
    given to issues of the Eurointegration, implementation of the
    obligations undertaken by Armenia at the CE. Touching upon the
    relations with neighbors, particularly with Azerbaijan and Turkey, he
    mentioned that the two countries carry out a joined policy, proposing
    preconditions for settlement of relations, and Armenia stated many
    times that it is ready for cooperation without preconditions. As for
    the issue of settlement of the relations with neighbors, A.Rustamian
    considered important assistance of European structures. The PACE
    Chairman once more attached importance to adoption of the
    Constitutional reforms, mentioning that the obligations undertaken by
    Armenia at the CE can not be considered completed without
    constitutional reforms. In this context, Armenia's involvement in the
    "Wider Europe: New Neighbours" program that will become an important
    precondition for the economic development, was attached importance
    to. Within the framework of the regional cooperation, settlement of
    the relations with neighbours was also attached importance to. Rene
    van der Linden met with representatives of opposing factions of the
    Parliament, "Ardarutiun" (Justice) and "Azgayin Miabanutiun" (National
    Unification) as well. Future strategy of the opposition was within the
    pivot of the conversation: the issue of participation in the process
    of the constitutional reforms. The PACE Chairman assured opposing
    deputies to cooperate with the authoritied in the issue of amending
    the Constitution, starting a dialogue to reach a common denominator.

    He mentioned that both authorities and opposition will equally take
    responsibility for final results. He also warned that in the case of
    failure of the referendum of the Constitutional reforms, Armenia will
    appear in a very hard situation. According to him, both Europe and
    whole international community will observe that referendum as the main
    ordeal for Armenia on the way of the Eurointegration. According to the
    PA Chairman, it also will have a direct influence on the relations of
    Armenia and the European Union, the process of the "Wider Europe: New
    Neighbors" program. During the meeting, the heads of both opposing
    factions touched upon falsifications and violations commited during
    the previous elections, mentioning that calling their organizers to
    account, today the authorities will take a real step in the direction
    of creating an atmosphere of confidence. With its help, according to
    him, the risk of the draft constitutional reforms' failure by the
    referendum will decrease. However, realizing the importance of the
    issue and listening to the European partners, both factions envisage
    to participate in the August 29 sitting. Artashes Geghamian, the
    Chairman of the "Azgayin Miabanutiun" ("AM"), expressed anxiety that,
    in the case of saying "yes" to the Constitutional reforms, the people
    not trusting the authorities will not trust the opposition, either,
    and a political chaos will be created in the country. In order to
    avoid this situation, he proposed to dissolve the Parliament after
    putting the edited variant of the Constitution on the referendum, and
    organize, first, parliamentary, then, president's special elections.

    The "AM" agrees to carry out propaganda for the new draft of the
    Constitution with this precondition. And Stepan Demirchian, the
    Chairman of the "Ardarutiun" faction demands to punish falsificators
    (organizers) of the previous elections, correct and clean the
    electoral rolls, create an atmosphere of confidence in the country.
    Otherwise, according to him, there is no difference if the authorities
    violate a good Constitution or a bad one. As for the contents of the
    amended variant of the Constitution, according to S.Demirchian, their
    approaches are represented in the draft incompletely. At the
    Parliament, the PACE Chairman had a meeting with representatives of
    the political forces of the coalition and the "People's Deputy"
    grouping as well. According to Galust Sahakian, the head of the RPA
    faction, initiating the constitutional reforms, the coalition has also
    taken the responsibility for it. He assured that today Armenia in on
    the way of system changes, strengthening democracy and the
    Eurointegration. Levon Mkrtchian, the head of the ARF faction
    emphasized that, having a large number of electors, they also attache
    importance to reaching an agreement with the opposition and to the
    cooperation issue. He doesn't agree with those formulations of those
    opposing that the rulling parties do not cooperate with them. As an
    example of cooperation, he mentioned the calls of the coalition
    addressed to the opposition still a year ago to participate in the
    discussions on the Electoral Code and constitutional reforms. But,
    according to L.Mkrtchian, the opposition is led in its activities with
    the tactics "first, change of authorities." If in future, they succeed
    to organize a contents discussion on the Constitutional reforms with
    the opposition's participation, the atmosphere will significantly
    change, L.Mkrtchian thinks. Mher Shahgeldian, a member of the "Orinats
    Yerkir" (Country of Law) faction shared the PACE Chairman's opinion
    concerning not making the Constitutional reforms a subject of
    speculation in the political competition. He considered urgent
    solution of problems like separation of powers, fixing of mechanisms
    of balance and control, independence of judicial and information
    structures by the Constitution.
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