Perhaps we have forgotten that the local authorities began talking about the Constitutional reforms since the beginning of 2013 when the “Prosperous Armenia” and the other pro-Kocharyan forces activated the social movements, which impelled Serzh Sargsyan to replace the prime minister. Appointing the father of daughter-in-law of “Prosperous Armenia” in the office of the prime minister, Serzh Sargsyan at the same time spoke about amending the Constitution. On the one hand, this could be perceived as a package deal with Kocharyan on the topic that “I am giving the position of the prime minister to you and you should not have an eye on my power”.
On the other hand, ceding the position of the head of the government to Kocharyan-followers, Serzh Sargsyan showed his teammates the functional mechanisms to preserve the government. Many people are rightly pointing out that the current president does not need to amend the Constitution to preserve the power. In the current situation, no one will obstruct the government authorities using their rich practice of election bribery, rigging the election lists and distorting the election process and the results. No one will obstruct, but Kocharyan and his team will be competing in this matter. They have repeatedly showed their political skills. Kocharyan’s “Prosperous Armenia” established the largest opposition alliance of political parties in the history of Armenia, by uniting here both the sworn nationalists and the sworn anti-Kocharyans. Kocharyan’s team disposes a major media arsenal, and given that the government media have adopted the policy of banality and apolitics, in this environment, the Kocharyan media gained a powerful impact.
Note that these media exists and function, simply they are now in a stand by mode and, if necessary, they can quickly restore the status qua ante bellum and with the same enthusiasm and spleen, they can move to fighting. And indeed, Kocharyan-followers had a major foreign political sponsor in the face of the Kremlin. This sponsor still exists, it has not disappeared anywhere and in the event of certain political conditions, it is ready to re-launch the reserved B option, recall the Russian media nervousness to present the fight against the electricity price hike as an Armenian Maidan. In addition to all of this, of course, despite Serzh Sargsyan’s numerous cleansing, Kocharyan still has quite a number of agents in the team of Serzh Sargsyan, who do not feel themselves too bad now but before they were feeling better. Plus those who hesitate, who in the event of the first weakness of the current President are ready to jump to the other camp, as in the level of an ordinary oligarch, the difference between Kocharyan and Sargsyan is neither noticeable nor understandable.
Perhaps the whole PR saga of corrected Liska would present his position as the most trustworthy master and employer, which makes it apparent that Serge Sargsyan is ready to support even the most criminal and inadequate teammate until the last breath. Against these many traps and counter means, Serzh Sargsyan wants to use on what he had put a lot of effort and energy and which Kocharyan does not have – the party. Serzh Sargsyan attached great importance to the Republican Party, and as a product of the Soviet system, he has great faith in the strength of this party. The new constitution is totally dedicated to establishing a particracy in the country. No matter in what position he is willing to rule the country – president, prime minister or RPA secretary general, this ruling, according to the Constitution, must be carried out through the Republican Party. It is hard to say to what extent Serzh Sargsyan’s government stability will ensure all of this, however, one thing is evident that Kocharyan cannot rule in this way.
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No matter how the local authorities declare that they are reluctant to hold these Constitutional amendments, saying that the Constitutional reforms are not a super goal for the Republicans, there are just contrivances, with which they are trying to disguise their true goal … Even such an argument is brought that there is so much absurd in this project, starting from the electors up to the anti-Christian and Constitutional right to deprive the citizens of the life (interestingly, why wasn’t the expertise opinion by the Holy Etchmiadzin published?), you really did not expect that we would hold it, do not believe, we would hold it, the more it is absurd, the more appropriate to particracy. This Constitution as perceived by Serzh Sargsyan is the most serious guarantee to protect his power from Kocharyan’s infringements. We believe that prior to the referendum he will carry out a type of “Death to Pproserous-2” prophylactic-threatening operation to ensure undeviating violations during the referendum, and … that’s it, afterwards, there will be no need for any more violations. Now, about the most dangerous one. All of this seems to be about the fight of two clans, where we perhaps have no role.
The situation look like a classic zugzwang, if you talk about Constitutional amendments then you talk from Kocharyan’s side, if you speak in favor of it, then you are talking to the benefit of Sargsyan. Indeed, this is the trap lured by our political reality, with which he neutralizes the third forces, just like in his presented Constitution. But there are two important questions. Do we need to amend the Constitution? Of course, we do. Since its establishment, Armenia is in a constitutional crisis, we have such a Constitution, when the country is ruled not by the Basic law but by the willingness of the leader. And do we need such a Constitution? Of course, not. We need such a Constitution that gives no sense of impunity to anyone, which ensures the security of the country, the immunity of the life and property of everyone, and so on. This already means a discussion of the content, which is not allowed to us, they say that it the task of the specialist-lawyer-constitutionalists. They lie, all these experts should only follow that no Article of the Constitution contradicts the other and the international commitments signed by Armenia. The main function of the Constitutional is to establish counter balances between the wings of the government, and this is politicians’ task who should introduce the new constitutions.
Aghasi YENOKYAN,
“Aravot” daily
