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  • NKR: Adoption of Constitution is Another Step Towards Development

    ADOPTION OF CONSTITUTION IS ANOTHER STEP TOWARDS DEVELOPMENT

    Azat Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh Republic [NKR]
    26 May 2006


    Interview with NKR Attorney General Armen Zalinian, the head of the
    Task Force on NKR Constitution. AA: "Mr. Zalinian, you have been
    working on the NKR Constitution bill for over a year. In what stage
    are you now?" Armen Zalinian: "Generally, the process of working out
    and adopting a constitution defies hastiness. Every point requires a
    thorough consideration, meaningful and tried approaches and tools. We
    are guided by these principles, and considerable work has been done so
    far. The concept of the NKR Constitution has been published, and
    currently the constitutional committee is discussing the first two
    chapters, namely the provisions on constitutional order and the basic
    human and civil rights, freedoms and duties. It means that soon we are
    going to have the main law of our country." AA: "What are the basic
    tenets of the NKR Constitution?" Armen Zalinian: "Those are reflected
    in the concept. As a constitution of a sovereign, democratic, legal,
    social state, in the NKR Constitution the right for self-determination
    fulfilled by the people of Artsakh, promotion of democracy, rule of
    law, human rights and freedoms, promotion of local governance,
    establishment of a civil society will be set down. These are the main
    components, upholding law and lawfulness between the society and the
    state.

    The key idea of the Constitution is the following scheme: rule of
    right through the law." AA: "In the long run, how will Nagorno
    Karabakh benefit from the adoption of the Constitution? After all, the
    country has existed without a constitution for 15 years." Armen
    Zalinian: "A country's constitution is the determinant and the result
    of a people's historical evolution. A constitution imbibes the spirit
    of a people, its legal thought and heritage, established in the course
    of centuries, the system of values, which guide the aspirations of
    these people. The fact that Karabakh lived without a constitution for
    years on is ordinary from the standpoint that a newly established
    country is unable to adopt a constitution in a short period of time.
    It is necessary to have experience in state building and a choice of
    guidelines. Besides, the people of NKR were forced into a war and
    then had to overcome the hardships of this war in the legal, social
    and economic, spiritual and cultural and, why not, home political
    spheres. Over the past 15 years a tangible experience in state
    building has been accumulated, which is a sufficient ground for having
    our own constitution." AA: "Is the NKR Constitution going to be a copy
    of the Constitution of the Republic of Armenian in terms of contents
    and form?" Armen Zalinian: "The NKR Constitution will be a
    constitution of a sovereign, democratic, legal, social state with
    semi-presidential governance. It will be consistent with the
    tendencies and demands of development of constitutionalism in the
    world. And the reality determined by the necessity of strengthening
    our independent statehood will certainly be taken into consideration.

    The necessary tools have been worked out. In this context, the
    constitutional experience of the Republic of Armenia, the logic and
    philosophy of the constitutional reform are very important. Several
    provisions introduced in the renewed Constitution of Armenia will be
    used in our Constitution. The constitutional experience of other
    countries is also taken into consideration. In other words, we pick
    up everything that is positive, everything that proved successful."
    AA: "What will be the procedure of adopting the Constitution?" Armen
    Zalinian: "Naturally, a referendum. I believe that our people will
    vote to the referendum on the Constitution, because the adoption of
    the Constitution will be another important step towards the
    establishment and strengthening of our republic."

    SVETLANA KHACHATRIAN.
    26-05-2006
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