The NA RPA faction MP Khosrov Harutyunyan sees no need for a referendum to solve the issue of the RA territorial integrity. Note that the new draft of the Constitution includes the solution of the territorial integrity thru a referendum, enshrined by Article 204. “I do not see the need for it not because I am concerned that as a result of the referendum, the Armenian people can decide to cede their own territorial integrity to anyone, but I think that since Armenia is declared a sovereign, democratic and social state by the Constitution and is known to the international community by its boundaries, therefore I do not see the need for the thesis to reinforce the idea of the territorial integrity thru the referendum”, said the lawmaker to Aravot.am.
To our observation that the critics of the draft constitution do not recall a precedent of holding free and fair elections in Armenia, Mr. Harutyunyan continued, “Regardless of whether we have electoral traditions in our country or not, whether these traditions are good or not good, those elections take place, and the referendum is such a process. We form the authorities thru the elections, whether good or bad, let’s put it aside… and eventually, we have passed two Constitutions by the same referendum, what is bad here.” Mr. Harutyunyan also touched upon the provision (Article 47, paragraph 2) enshrining the election procedure of the NA deputy found in the draft, under which any person who has permanent residence in Armenia for the last 5 years can be elected a Deputy of the National Assembly.
Note that according to some criticism, this Article is unacceptable as this restriction does not specify the meaning of the term of permanent residence and, secondly, this ban contravenes the European Convention on Human Rights and the UN Human Rights Commission’s decision, under which no restriction shall be placed on the exercise of people’s right to elect and be elected with discriminatory and unjustified demand on the place of birth or the residence.
According to Khosrov Harutyunyan, “When the current Constitution stipulates that a President of Armenia, a Deputy of the National Assembly and a Yerevan Mayor can be elected, why this is not seen something that contradicts the European value system. It is clearly enshrined that any citizen who has lived a long time in Armenia, who knows the main socio-economic problems of the society, who is experiencing these problems and has managed to be involved in these problems can be represented in the National Assembly of Armenia. What restrictions on human rights are we talking about? Can a man come to live in Armenia for a month and become a lawmaker, a Speaker of the National Assembly?”
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Arpine SIMONYAN
