Yesterday
when the project of Constitutional amendments was put to the vote by the second
reading 83 deputies were present but 99 deputies took part in the voting.6
deputies from the RPA group refused of their speeches on the second day of the
NA special session. Another 4 representatives of the coalition refused of their
speeches. We are sorry, as it was very interesting that who from some of that
dozen will protect the Constitution, for example the elected deputy from Siunik
Vahe Hakobian whose speeches we have never heard. The majority gave to the opposition
the opportunity to propagandize. Perhaps they did taking into consideration their
limited opportunity of using the Electronic media. Or perhaps for the reason that
the session would last longer and it wasn’t easy for the deputies who were called
for voting to stay in the corridors for a long time. But the last day of the session
when it must be said before the voting what amendments have been adopted speeches
protecting constitutional amendments were being made. For example, the NA deputy
chairman Vahan Hovhannisian made a special speech and said that the Constitution
couldn’t l please everybody. And that document is the result of mutual concessions
and agreement. The NA deputy chairman thinks that the opposition refused of participating
in that mutual agreement. He mentioned two factors as the explanation of it. First
of all some party leaders don’t want systematic changes as they think of the future;
": They think, this non legitimate authority has so many opportunities and
tomorrow can’t I, the elected representative of the people dismiss the PM when
I want?" And the second, according to the NA deputy chairman working art
is delved into policy. "It is expressed not only by terminology, style of
speeches, tone of sound, gesticulation which we saw during these days. Working
art is in their way of thinking; there is a shadow in this hall of which our colleagues
are afraid. The shadow of those people who will say from outside "were you
afraid?" and the political mutual concession will be marked as a signature
of "defeat". Being afraid of such an attitude the opposition didn’t
manage to display political approach and continue the process till the end, it
remind on the level of working art."He also spoke about one of the argumentations
of the opposition that the current authority doesn’t have a moral right of reforming
the Constitution. "The opposition which speaks of moral right has only a
way; to go to the basements and sing there the song "vichri vrajdebnie vejut
nad nami", print "Iskra" newspaper and read Lenin’s "April
thesis",- Vahan Hovhannisian said. – The experience showed that the parliamentary
part of our opposition couldn’t do it, too. I’m afraid that the public will find
itself in the blockade because the real role of the opposition is in the hands
of powers that are out of the parliament and which have ideological discrepancies
with the coalition parties". The allusion refers to the Armenian National
Movement.The representative of the President Armen Haroutiunian objected in
his speech the critic of those deputies addressed to the current Constitution.
Armen Haroutiunian mentioned that it is "neither anti democratic and nor
it is problematic for the republic on the angle of balance. Let’s not to forget
that we have become the CE member by the current Constitution and if it wasn’t
correspondent to the democratic values, Armenia couldn’t become the member."Vahan
Hovhannisian stressed in his speech that "the opposition showed by his leaving
that it wasn’t interested from the beginning if their proposals were adopted or
not." Manuk Gasparian who had declared that if his proposals weren’t adopted
he would vote against but he voted "abstained". This was the only not
"for" voting. The Constitution by the second reading was adopted by
98 votes though a dozen of voters weren’t in the hall at that moment such as Levon
Sargsian, Hakob Hakobian, Samvel Alexanian, Ashot Arsenian, Hovik Azoyan, Artak
Sargsian, Hovik Abovian and others. We must mention that these votes weren’t decisive,
the constitution would be adopted by second reading with 66 votes. The Constitution
will be adopted completely in the session holding from 12 of September. We must
hope that last voting won’t be rigged.Anna Israelian