The ruling Republican party discussions are underway to amend the Constitution, and in fact, it is not ruled out that the Republican party will achieve decision to make a transition to the parliamentary republic.
Yesterday, Davit Harutyunyan, Chairman of the RA NA Standing Committee on State and Legal Affairs, member of the RPA Executive body, in the conversation with the “Freedom” radio station said that the discussions regarding this subject are underway for quite a long time. He assured that the issue of transition to parliamentary system of management is going to become a subject for discussion. “The issue should be viewed from a different perspective: which is the most effective in current situation for Armenia, both geopolitically and domestic politically. And from this perspective, there should be a lot of clash of opinions, different approaches, and as a result, I think, the concept will be elaborated.”
David Harutyunyan did not rule out that in case of transition to the parliamentary system of management, the RPA proportional list for the next parliamentary elections could lead the incumbent President Serzh Sargsyan and if the Republicans win Serzh Sargsyan will be elected prime minister, by leading Armenian with given status and added that so far there is no clear option discussed, but did not rule out given option.
So, in the coming few months, the RPA ruling party will be involved in elaboration of the concept of constitutional amendments. The fact that the ruling elite finds necessary to implement constitutional amendments, is a remarkable fact.
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In three months, Armenia is planning to initialing the Association Agreement, and if everything is successfully completed, the authorities afterwards will pass to amendments of the management system of the country, surely introducing its necessity as a step in the direction of the country’s democratic development.
However, it is clear that the process of constitutional amendments, in addition to argumentation of creating more civil mechanisms for human rights protection and increasing the level of democracy in Armenia, will provide solution of rather essential issue, which is maintenance of Serzh Sargsyan’s power.
On the ground of amendments around the Constitution, the RA President may be attributed advisory powers, and the head of de facto of the authorities will be the Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan. The President, for example, Tigran Sargsyan …
Whether this scenario will work or not, it is too early to definitely predict or asserting around any other version. But one thing is evident, the main political processes, unfortunately, are proceeding in the field of power, and not in the opposing wing.
Moreover, let us not forget that before the recent parliamentary elections, the the parliamentary opposition made attempts to make amendments in the Electoral Code, according to which it was expected to eliminate the majoritarian system and switch to 100% proportional electoral system, and the transition to parliamentary system of government was discussed.
Thus, taking into account the position of the other parties in the Parliament, it can be assumed that the authorities, in this matter, may commence the process of “constructive discussions” in NA. And if we consider the fact that in 2013 after the presidential election, Serzh Sargsyan suggested Raffi Hovannisian to head the committee on constitutional amendments, then it is not ruled out that the process to amend the management system of the country will be put into the right course by just the parliamentary opposition.
With this scenario both the international community would be content with authorities of Armenia and Serzh Sargsyan will solve the maintenance of his power, to be more precise, the issue of reproduction of his third term in more civilized form, in comparison, for example, with neighboring Azerbaijan.
So far, the question will be open as to who will take the office of the President with the Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan endowed with wide range of powers. …
But this is another topic …
Emma GABRIELYAN
