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ARMENIA'S DRAFT CONSTITUTION DIVIDES OPPOSITION
Haroutiun Khachatrian 8/03/05
EurasiaNet Organization
Aug 3 2005
Strong support from the Council of Europe's Venice Commission for
Armenia's draft constitution promises to bolster President Robert
Kocharian in his ongoing feud with the country's opposition. With a
draft document that meets many of their earlier concerns, opposition
leaders are now divided over what further course to take. Even while
the largest opposition faction has announced plans to continue its
boycott of parliament, most other opposition leaders now appear ready
for cooperation with the government.
The amendments, designed largely to curtail the president's powers,
would provide a "good basis" for bringing Armenia in line with
"European standards" for human rights, democracy and rule of law, the
Commission, which advises the Council on constitutional law matters,
argued in an official statement on July 22. The draft promises to
"pave the way for [Armenia's] further European integration," the
Commission concluded.
With the Council of Europe now supporting the government's proposed
amendments, the political ball has fallen into the opposition's
court. The nine-party Ardarutiun (Justice) opposition bloc, the
country's largest, which has boycotted parliament since early 2004,
had earlier pledged that it would work alongside the government to
secure support for the new constitution. Once parliament approves
the draft in a third reading on August 29, the amendments will be
submitted for approval in a nationwide referendum expected to be held
in November 2005.
Such an alliance would be unprecedented. But whether or not it will
ever materialize remains in doubt. Two parties within the Ardarutiun
bloc - Hanrapetitiun (Republic) and the National Democratic Alliance
- appear to be driving a split. On July 19, Hanrapetitiun released a
statement that characterized a refusal by the opposition to work with
the government as the best bet for ending President Robert Kocharian's
rule. "Following the failure of the constitutional amendments in
2003, another failure will inevitably result in the inglorious end
of the anti-popular regime," the statement read. By working with the
government, Hanrapetitiun has argued, the opposition will only help
Kocharin's administration retain power. "These authorities have no more
resources for reforms," Smbat Ayvazian, a Hanrapetitiun board member,
commented after a July 15 meeting of the Aradarutiun bloc. Arahsk
Sadoyan, leader of the National Democratic Alliance, went further,
terming one opposition member's support for cooperation with the
authorities "betrayal."
Meanwhile, the majority of Ardarutiun members appear to have
taken a more moderate position. A July 19 statement released by
the parliamentary faction Ardarutiun reflected these views. The
faction expressed willingness to participate "in the process of
constitutional reforms and to present its proposals for improving the
draft [constitution] given the full implementation of the principles
put forward by the faction." The faction has listed implementation of
the Venice Commission's January 2005 recommendations and measures to
ensure a fair vote in the November constitutional referendum, including
changes to the electoral code, punishment of those involved in vote
rigging during the 2003 parliamentary elections and unrestricted
broadcast coverage of the referendum, including reopening the private
A1+ television station, as among its pre-conditions for participation
in the constitutional reform process.
Some observers believe that these differences could lead to
Hanrapetutiun eventually leaving the Ardarutiun bloc, a situation that
would only worsen problems already known to exist between Ardarutiun
and the influential opposition National Unity Party. National Unity
Party Chairman Artashes Geghamian is generally believed to be more
inclined to cooperate with the Kocharian administration than the
leaders of Ardarutiun.
For now, though, opposition members maintain that a split is not yet
inevitable. In an interview with the Aravot daily on July 19, National
Unity Party Deputy Chairman Aleksan Kirakosian stressed that "[i]f
the Ardarutiun bloc is broken, this will benefit the authorities,
and for this reason any problems should be settled without noise
rather than on the pages of newspapers."
At a July 19 press conference, Shavarsh Kocharian , an Aradarutiun
bloc leader, seconded the call for reconciliation, citing a lack of
information as one potential cause for Hanrapetutiun's opposition to
the draft constitution. Further talks, he told reporters, may lead the
faction to change its position. "The goal of Artarutiun has always
been to change the rules of games in the country, and we will reach
this goal."
Editor's Note: Haroutiun Khachatrian is a Yerevan-based writer
specializing in economic and political affairs.
Haroutiun Khachatrian 8/03/05
EurasiaNet Organization
Aug 3 2005
Strong support from the Council of Europe's Venice Commission for
Armenia's draft constitution promises to bolster President Robert
Kocharian in his ongoing feud with the country's opposition. With a
draft document that meets many of their earlier concerns, opposition
leaders are now divided over what further course to take. Even while
the largest opposition faction has announced plans to continue its
boycott of parliament, most other opposition leaders now appear ready
for cooperation with the government.
The amendments, designed largely to curtail the president's powers,
would provide a "good basis" for bringing Armenia in line with
"European standards" for human rights, democracy and rule of law, the
Commission, which advises the Council on constitutional law matters,
argued in an official statement on July 22. The draft promises to
"pave the way for [Armenia's] further European integration," the
Commission concluded.
With the Council of Europe now supporting the government's proposed
amendments, the political ball has fallen into the opposition's
court. The nine-party Ardarutiun (Justice) opposition bloc, the
country's largest, which has boycotted parliament since early 2004,
had earlier pledged that it would work alongside the government to
secure support for the new constitution. Once parliament approves
the draft in a third reading on August 29, the amendments will be
submitted for approval in a nationwide referendum expected to be held
in November 2005.
Such an alliance would be unprecedented. But whether or not it will
ever materialize remains in doubt. Two parties within the Ardarutiun
bloc - Hanrapetitiun (Republic) and the National Democratic Alliance
- appear to be driving a split. On July 19, Hanrapetitiun released a
statement that characterized a refusal by the opposition to work with
the government as the best bet for ending President Robert Kocharian's
rule. "Following the failure of the constitutional amendments in
2003, another failure will inevitably result in the inglorious end
of the anti-popular regime," the statement read. By working with the
government, Hanrapetitiun has argued, the opposition will only help
Kocharin's administration retain power. "These authorities have no more
resources for reforms," Smbat Ayvazian, a Hanrapetitiun board member,
commented after a July 15 meeting of the Aradarutiun bloc. Arahsk
Sadoyan, leader of the National Democratic Alliance, went further,
terming one opposition member's support for cooperation with the
authorities "betrayal."
Meanwhile, the majority of Ardarutiun members appear to have
taken a more moderate position. A July 19 statement released by
the parliamentary faction Ardarutiun reflected these views. The
faction expressed willingness to participate "in the process of
constitutional reforms and to present its proposals for improving the
draft [constitution] given the full implementation of the principles
put forward by the faction." The faction has listed implementation of
the Venice Commission's January 2005 recommendations and measures to
ensure a fair vote in the November constitutional referendum, including
changes to the electoral code, punishment of those involved in vote
rigging during the 2003 parliamentary elections and unrestricted
broadcast coverage of the referendum, including reopening the private
A1+ television station, as among its pre-conditions for participation
in the constitutional reform process.
Some observers believe that these differences could lead to
Hanrapetutiun eventually leaving the Ardarutiun bloc, a situation that
would only worsen problems already known to exist between Ardarutiun
and the influential opposition National Unity Party. National Unity
Party Chairman Artashes Geghamian is generally believed to be more
inclined to cooperate with the Kocharian administration than the
leaders of Ardarutiun.
For now, though, opposition members maintain that a split is not yet
inevitable. In an interview with the Aravot daily on July 19, National
Unity Party Deputy Chairman Aleksan Kirakosian stressed that "[i]f
the Ardarutiun bloc is broken, this will benefit the authorities,
and for this reason any problems should be settled without noise
rather than on the pages of newspapers."
At a July 19 press conference, Shavarsh Kocharian , an Aradarutiun
bloc leader, seconded the call for reconciliation, citing a lack of
information as one potential cause for Hanrapetutiun's opposition to
the draft constitution. Further talks, he told reporters, may lead the
faction to change its position. "The goal of Artarutiun has always
been to change the rules of games in the country, and we will reach
this goal."
Editor's Note: Haroutiun Khachatrian is a Yerevan-based writer
specializing in economic and political affairs.