“We had included sufficient controversial provisions and remarks in our recommendations, which we are going to discuss point by point with the authorized representative of the Constitutional Reforms Commission, who will also introduce the draft of the reform to the Parliament,” said the Head of PAP faction Naira Zohrabyan, today, in the interview with Aravot.am, after the two-hours discussion between the Commission and the PAP faction MPs. Today’s discussion considered a very small part of the PAP remarks. Issues raising political concern associated with freedom of expression, spontaneous gatherings, family, the role of the Armenian Apostolic Church and many other issues, including the second round of stable majority and parliamentary elections and the institute of electors’ meeting have not yet been awarded to final assessments.
PAP respect any legitimately elected figure, but as assessed by Ms. Zohrabyan, “We all know what level of elections are held in particularly the local self-government elections and in more than 960 communities, the RPA members make more than 90 percent in the local self-government bodies. To bring them to the meeting of Electors and let these people elect a president of the country is not fair.” PAP will insist that the president should be elected by the body having the primary mandate – the Parliament. Yesterday, the ARF member Aghvan Vardanyan, after the meeting with the representatives of the Commission, said that this issue is regulated and the president will be elected by the parliament. To the observation of Aravot.am, Naira Zohrabyan countered, “We were told that the other political parties also have similar concerns, we will discuss and let you know. But regardless of other political parties concerns, we are going to include this issue in the package of our recommendations.”
It is important for PAP that the “stable majority” and the “second round” formulations would not be constitutional imperative norms. Naira Zohrabyan’s impression from today’s meeting is that they would not be constitutional norms. As to what formulations would be used in the Electoral Code, the Head of the PAP faction considers that it should be the result of mutual work. There are many other controversial issues that are considered “solvable” with the PAP, as they have seen edges of mutual understanding today. They are not ready to concede some provisions in the Commission as they cite the international experience and the Human Rights Declaration. The PAP does not share this approach, as we have our own reality, mentality and the rules of the socio-economic and political game. “It is not everything that should be photocopied.”
Lengthy discussions are expected not only with the Commission but inside the PAP. “We have prepared two brief documents with yes-and-no reasoning, which are made in a formulation perceivable for the society. In other words, why you can say yes to this draft and what are the provisions that give you the reason to say no. They are sent to our 64 regional structures. For me, as a party leader, it is very important for any decision to come from below,” said Ms. Zohrabyan, adding that there will also be discussions in the regional structures with the public. PAP expects feedback from its regional structures in the first four days of October, where perhaps the draft will be voted. Based on the opinions of the PAP faction and the political council and the estimates of the regional structures, PAP will form the final opinion on the draft of constitutional reforms. PAP will not join the “No” movement as imagined by ANC.
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As to which option of voting will be elected by PAP, it depends on the destiny of its recommendations. What remains is the question that a 100-percent proportional election system is enshrined in the PAP program, which is also provided by the proposed draft, Naira Zohrabyan said that the proportional election system has various modifications and it is very important to know which one will be chosen. Regarding the 100 percent proportional electoral form and the manner, as far as our interlocutor understood from today’s meeting, there are no ideas yet. They will be clarified during the parliamentary debate. With regard to the reproduction of the person, Serzh Sargsyan, there are no concerns in the PAP. Serzh Sargsyan has announced that he will not become a President and a Prime Minister, and David Harutyunyan announced that Serzh Sargsyan will not become a Speaker of the National Assembly.
“As for the party reproduction, let us be sincere. The problem here is not the reproduction in itself but the manner of the reproduction. The Constitution stipulates that the RPA, PAP, RoL, ARF or another party that has received the vote of the absolute majority should declare a reproduction is not an honest approach. When the PAP was talking about the party reproduction, we are talking about the methods of reproduction which were used for reproduction of the ruling parties of all times in Armenia. You cannot tell a party, do not fight for obtaining the maximum vote. We say, do not fight with dirty methods, which you have done before. In other words, we again face the issue of political will.”
Nelly GRIGORYAN
