Arpine Minasyan

Only twenty people showed up at a public debate in the town of Sevan yesterday regarding proposed changes to Armenia’s constitution.

Heriknaz Tigranyan, a legal adviser with Transparency International Anti-Corruption Center, told the crowd that she saw no need for the changes, and that certain clauses of the present constitution have never been correctly executed.

“I see no legal basis for the changes because the current one has never led to a crisis of government. As to how the constitution has been applied, it’s a matter of will on the part of the decision makers. They must decide how the norms are to work. Those in favor of change have not presented any substantive arguments as to the need for change. It is not encouraging to alter the law of the land every ten years, to shape it to serve the interests of certain forces and political parties,” said Tigranyan.

Artur Sakunts, who heads the Helsinki Civic Assembly’s Vanadzor branch, said that changes would not lead to any progress but would result in a deep crisis.

The speakers noted that there are 250 proposed changes and addendums to the constitution that will lead to lesser public participation in the electoral process.

They argued that the public will no longer elect the president and members of parliament. The president will be elected by the parliament, they said, adding that the same will be true for local community leaders.

According to Article 181 of the constitutional change bill, community leaders can be selected by a direct or indirect vote. They voiced a concern that community leaders may even be appointed rather than elected.

Vahram Martirosyan, representing the “No” civil initiative opposed to any proposed changes, said that people should take a position on the mater based on a choice of political parties and that this would destroy the current monopoly in the country.

 “Political parties don’t possess an enviable track record today. After Ashot Navasardyan, the Republican Party has turned into a collection of opportunists. The role of the other parties has lessened,” said Martirosyan.

Sakunts added that even the guarantees of the judicial system were at risk since the new bill allows for the president of the cassation court to be elected by the parliament.

“Everything will revolve around that stable majority. Only one election is envisaged with this bill, the parliament. We are only pointing out that before the second term of Serzh Sargsyan ends, the constitution is to be changes and no presidential elections will be held. We see no other aim as the basis for the changes,” said Sakunts.

Speaker Tigranyan said that changes to the supreme law of the land would lead to a review of the entire legislative framework.

“This means that after a certain period we will have a legislative vacuum before being able to check the constitutional compatibility of international treaties and laws in force. Uncertainty will dominate the legal sector,” said Tigranyan.

Such public debates in Armenia’s provinces are organized by the Transparency International Anti-Corruption Center with assistance from the Open Society Foundations.