On 26.07.2018 the discussion of the amendments to the Electoral Code took place at RA Government Session Hall. The discussion was headed by Daniel Ioannisyan. During the discussion they spoke of reforms which were cosmetic upon their character and solved no essential problem. The discussion was aimed at changes and amendments to the Election Code, due to which election fraud had to be excluded and the citizens of the Republic of Armenia received the opportunity of getting rid of political monopoly.
“Yerkir Tsirani” party also took part in the discussion, making proposals and asking questions it had in the result of the discussion. To deprive the political monopoly functioning for about a quarter of century of the right to participation in making political decisions on the main part of Armenian nation (the right to elect and be elected), thus, in this context, “Yerkir Tsirani” party proposed to grant the Diasporans having Armenian citizenship and Artsakh residing Armenians with a right to elect and to be elected, as well as mechanisms for implementing the proposal were presented.
The person heading the session simply answered they could not implement the draft thereby depriving the citizens of the Republic of Armenia from the right provided upon the Constitution of Armenia. These seeming reforms are aimed at only satisfying formal requirements. It was decided in particular, that free airtime had to be added on Public TV of Armenia, and organizing debates had to be mandated to the latter, etc.
The person heading the session continually repeated that formerly elections were passed through criminal agreement. However, asked what was made to bring the people, who had formerly come to criminal agreement, to criminal responsibility, especially Serzh Sargsyan and Tigran Mukuchyan, he replied that he was not a law enforcement body and could not answer to that question.
In his report the person heading the session presented the draft on criminalizing “charity”, but to “Yerkir Tsirani” party representative’s question implying when the draft was going to enter into force – before or after the election of the Mayor, he replied that they would not manage and the adoption of the draft would take place after the mayoral elections.
“Yerkir Tsirani” party estimates this discussion of the election plan as insufficient. The rules of order of the fundamental solution of the election fraud accumulated and voiced a lot of times, the key was not found in the frameworks of the session. Moreover, policy of hiding and uncertainty was recorded.
The discussion entitled “reincarnation” was another evidence that we have not got rid of former dark realities and ways of acting, and for making fundamental amendments to the draft of the Electoral Code persons having high skills and outlook.
People and a lot of political actors are bored from masked sessions and decisions. It is time for more serious, effective, influential and determined steps without waste of time.
Legal Commission of “Yerkir Tsirani” party
The State of Isreal has become a powerful nation because it allowed every Jew to return to his/her country and build the nation. If one is born Jew, he/ she gets automatic citizenship, no matter where that person is born. They have allowed dual citizenship. Anyone holding dual citizenship is allowed to vote in Israeli elections. In addition, the Jewish lobby is the strongest and most powerful lobby in America. They provide billions of dollars in assistance to their motherland. They also lobby the US Government to help Israel. Last year, the US gave 5 billion US dollars in form of combined assistance to Israel, including defense. The present leaders in Armenia should understand that having a strong diaspora is essential in building a nation. NOT ALLOWING former Armenian citizens to VOTE is the fastest way of losing them. Wake up, government of Armenia and take care of your citizens. The Armenian diaspora is NOT a milking cow. They are Armenians.