Two Opposition MPs' Proposals Included In Legislative Package On Mak

[Jilavian Emma]

TWO OPPOSITION MPs' PROPOSALS INCLUDED IN LEGISLATIVE PACKAGE ON
MAKING AMENDMENTS AND ADDITIONS TO ELECTORAL CODE ADOPTED BY RA NA

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 22, NOYAN TAPAN. At the December 22 sitting, RA
NA with 78 votes in favor and 2 abstentions adopted the legislative
package on making amendments and additions to RA Electoral Code,
RA Criminal Code and law "On Local Self-Government." According to the
draft of RPA, ARFD, ULP factions, Business and People's Deputy MP group
representatives, amendments and additions are made to more than 100
articles of the Electoral Code. Because of disagreements of principle,
Ardarutiun (Justice) faction members present at the sitting did not
take part in voting, with the exception of Aram Sargsian, Chairman
of the Democratic Party of Armenia who voted in favor. Hovhannes
Margarian, Orinats Yerkir (Country of Law) faction member, who withdrew
his signature the other day, also voted in favor. The above mentioned
MPs' position was conditioned by inclusion of their proposals into
the draft. In particular, according to A.Sargsian's proposal, passage
threshold of 5% and 7% working for parties and blocs, respectively,
at the parliamentary elections, was kept. The draft's main variant
envisaged to use a differentiated threshold for blocs: 7% for blocs
composed of 2 parties, 10% for blocs composed of 3 and more parties.
On the basis of H.Margarian's proposals, in particular, the right
of electoral commission member to vote as "abstained" was retored,
requirements on fixing additional electoral rolls at electoral
districts, stamps in identification cards of servicemen having
participated in voting for controlling elections amomg servicemen
were stipulated.