The Constitutional Court member Kim Balayan believes that Serzh Sargsyan could not impose on the Reforms Commission
Recently, the RA NA ANC faction leader Levon Zurabyan, in his interview with A1+ announced that they have internal information from the Constitutional Reforms Commission that a plan has been elaborated with the Commission according to which Serzh Sargsyan intends to continue ruling the country as an NA Speaker but not in 2017 but in 2018. In particular, he stated, “We have an internal information from the Constitutional Commission that amendment will be made to the Electoral Code, according to which, not if someone from the list puts down the mandate, consecutively the other one takes it, but those who have put down the mandate, the ones at the beginning of the list may take it. And the list will be headed by Serzh Sargsyan. He for known reasons will initially give up the mandate as he will continue his office as a President of the Republic of Armenia, and when in 2018 someone will put down a mandate, at that time a question will be raised before Serzh Sargsyan whether he is taking this mandate or not. Naturally, he will announce that he cannot give up this responsibility and in that case, the RA NA Speaker will resign, and he will assume this position. This is the plan that is being hidden from the people.”
“Aravot” asked the Constitutional Court member Kim Balayan whether the Commission can legally make such amendments to the text of the new Constitution that in 2018, Serzh Sargsyan would be able to maintain his power in the position of the RA NA Speaker, Mr. Balayan said in response that so far there are no particular obstacles for Serzh Sargsyan to appear in this position. He particularly mentioned, “What’s the problem of doing a manipulation? Where is it written that it is banned for the current President to be an NA Speaker, a Prime Minister or any other position?” However, there is one obstacle. In this regard, Mr. Balayan noted, “There is only one obstacle that the president cannot be until he is a party leader. I am saying this from the legal point of view. If in the nearest future, after the completion of his powers, Serzh Sargsyan declares that he is a non-partisan, he can also be elected as a president, there is no legal obstacle here”.
Mr. Balayan brought his experience as an example when he was a member of the ARF fraction and he was appointed a CC member, he announced from the same podium that he puts down his partisan duties. Mr. Balayan stressed once again that legally there is no and cannot be an obstacle for Serzh Sargsyan to become an RA NA Speaker. We reminded Kim Balayan that he had also announced that the Commission failed to fulfill the RA President’s ordinance and has presented not a draft on constitutional amendments but a new Constitution. To our observation of whether, accordingly, this does not mean that the Commission, perhaps instructed by Serzh Sargsyan, has acted deliberately to create such a legal situation, which would enable Serzh Sargsyan to maintain his power, Kim Balayan countered as to who and why should compel the Commission, he has just told to elaborate a draft and bring it to him.
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Tatev HARUTYUNYAN
“Aravot” daily
