In an interview with 2nd.am, Robert Kocharian, Armenian’s second president, reiterated his position that there was no urgent need for changes to Armenia’s constitution.

“My opinion hasn’t changed. There is no need for changes, especially such drastic ones,” Kocharian said, adding that all the country’s problems could be resolved with the current constitution.

(2nd.am bills itself as the non-official website of Armenia’s second president)

Referring to the bill that would allow for a referendum on the matter, Kocharian said that it exceeded his worst expectations.

“The bill contains fundamental risks that the country will snowball into a de facto one party system; i.e., to a political monopoly and status-quo,” Kocharian said.

The former president argues that the bill is so replete with beautiful terminology and phrases regarding human rights and the government’s social agenda, that he believes the entire process is a ploy to conceal the unacceptable composition of the National Assembly that deprives it of its essential legislative role.

In conclusion, Kocharian describes the bill turns the potential of a political monopoly into a constitutional norm.

“I do not want to see such a future for my country. That’s why I am utterly opposed to these changes. A huge mistake is being made whose consequences are drastically dangerous to Armenia’s future,” said Kocharian.