Polls close in Armenia referendum on constitutional amendments

December 6, 2015 By administrator

Referendum on amendments to Armenia’s Constitution ended Saturday, December 6, at 8 pm sharp.

According to the latest reports, violations across Yerevan and the provinces were registered during the referendum, with the police launching an investigation into double voting cases, as well as attempts of hindering the work of journalists. 1997 polling stations opened across the republic at 8 am local time with 2 550 323 voters set to cast ballots. Report PanARMENIAN.Net

18 local and 6 international organizations monitored the referendum, including CIS observer mission, CIS Interparliamentary Assembly, foreign Central Election Committees, Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODHIR), representatives of foreign embassies accredited to Armenia.

The amended version of the Constitution would increase the role of the National Assembly, government and Prime Minister and essentially curtail the president’s powers. Other changes include elimination of majoritarian voting system and full transition to proportional system of forming a parliament.

The most controversial is the provision envisaging compulsory formation of majority of one of political parties in parliamentary elections and holding a second round in case no majority is formed. Represented in the National Assembly, Heritage, Rule of Law and Armenian National Congress parties are against the amendments, while the ruling Republican, as well as Armenian Revolutionary and Prosperous Armenia parties are in favor of changes. Some political powers, including MP Nikol Pashinyan’s Civil Agreement, have declared their intention to not participate in the discussions and reforms.

Draft amendments to Armenia’s Constitution can be substantially discussed – MPs

July 16, 2015 By administrator

In an interview with Tert.am, Tevan Poghosyan an MP of the Heritage party, commented on the draft Chapters 1-7 of Armenia’s new Constitution.

According to him, the draft contains defects, which need correcting.

Hovhannes Sahakyan, Chairman of the Standing Committee on State and Legal Affairs, Parliament of Armenia, notes that a Constitution is a most complicated document and numerous issues related to the draft naturally need to be discussed and submitted to the public.

Mr Poghosyan primarily highlights confidence in the election system as he does not think any confidence-inspiring mechanisms are available and the Constitution will be enforced.

“I am more interested in the process than in the defects of the text given the fact that I am not sure of whether the results will correspond to the facts,” the MP said.

He is not sure of whether the public needs the amendments. He sees a need for a survey. The revised draft envisages a switchover to parliamentary government with reduced presidential powers. On the other hand, it says the president is head of the state and it is not clear what is going to be practiced.

As regards electorate organization, Mr Poghosyan said that it is unclear what law is going to regulate it.
“There is no sense in forming an opinion of defective things, and it is processes that need more attention.

Presenting your opinion on the text would be more an intellectual exercise,” he said.

Mr Poghosyan points out a need for public demand for constitutional amendments. However, Armenian citizens have no clear idea of how the Constitution works or of the need for amendments.

“Armenia’s current parliament has very good powers. However, since the parliamentary majority is capable of settling any issue, the Parliament does not use half of its powers. Therefore, how can I be sure that powers envisages by the draft amendments will be put into practice,” the MP said.

Elaborating on the government system he said that he prefers parliamentary government.

“I am for the European model, but I cannot impose it on society.”

As regards opposition forces powers, Mr Poghosyan mentioned a number of weak points.

For his part Mr Hovhannes Sahakyan highlights parliamentary elections by means of the proportional representation system, a switchover to parliamentary government, and supervisory Parliament-Government mechanisms envisaged in the draft amendments.

Source: tert.am

Turkey EU minister warns European Parliament on amendments Armenian Genocide

June 3, 2015 By administrator

Sevil Erkuş – ANKARA

European Union Affairs Minister Volkan Bozkır has sent letters to senior European Parliament figures, urging them to consider proposals to amend an upcoming report on Turkey, warning that Ankara has “sensitivities over three topics in particular.” Report hurriyetdailynews

A planned vote on approving the report on Turkey on May 21 was postponed because of the lack of time for political groups in the European Parliament to discuss proposals for amendments.

In letters sent to European Parliament President Martin Schulz, Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Elmar Brok, and the leaders of party groups in the parliament, Bozkır expressed Turkey’s concerns about some amendment proposals in the report, which will be voted on in June.

He stressed that any mention in the report regarding the European Parliament’s April 15 resolution recognizing the 1915 mass killing of Ottoman Armenians as genocide, or any call to exclude the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) from the EU’s list of terrorist organizations, would “not be acceptable” for Turkey, diplomatic sources said.

In his letter dated June 1, Bozkır also said any call to block opening new negotiation chapters for Turkey, or to lift financial assistance to Turkey, would make the report “unacceptable” for Ankara.

Bozkır added that the report should not include a “one-sided” perspective that could negatively influence the ongoing talks for reunification of Cyprus, according to the sources.

The European Parliament adopted the Annual Report on Human Rights and Democracy in the World 2013 and detailed the EU’s policy on the matter on March 12, calling on EU member states to recognize the 1915 killings as “genocide.”