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FROM ASSEMBLY TO COURT: OPPOSITION TO FILE SUIT OVER RPA BOYCOTT OF SPECIAL SESSION
By GOHAR ABRAHAMYAN
ArmeniaNow reporter
POLITICS | 23.11.12 | 14:56
Oppositional Armenian National Congress together with the other
non-pro-establishment forces will be filing a lawsuit at the
Constitutional Court within eight days, claiming that the authorities'
actions subverting the urgent parliament session on Wednesday were
anti-constitutional.
The Armenian National Congress (ANC) initiated and the other
non-coalition factions, including the Armenian Revolutionary Federation
Dashnaktsutyun (ARF), Prosperous Armenia and Heritage, supported the
holding of an urgent session to discuss the ANC-submitted package of
amendments to election laws.
However, the ruling Republican Party of Armenia, holding absolute
majority in the parliament (69 mandates), and Orinats Yerkir party,
in coalition with the Republicans, had stated right from the beginning
they would not participate in the session, hence there wasn't a quorum.
ANC faction secretary Aram Manukyan told ArmeniaNow on Friday that
the political decision to turn to the Constitutional Court has been
made and the lawsuit is now at a stage of document-collection, and
it will take about a week.
"Even if nothing changes after turning to the court, by that step we
are trying to show that the authorities have violated the provisions of
the constitutional law," says Manukyan, adding that article 70 of the
Constitution allows law-makers to call an urgent parliament session
"by the order and within the timeline set by the initiator".
Parliament vice-speakers Eduard Sharmazanov countered during his
interview to RFE/RL that the political majority did not violate
the Constitution, but made use of its right and boycotted the
opposition-initiated session.
In order to turn to the Constitution Court 27 MPs have to sign the
petition (ANC has only 7), and Manukyan said they'd be approaching
their non-coalitional partners in the parliament.
PAP faction secretary Naira Zohrabyan told ArmeniaNow that their
lawyers are looking into it.
"If our lawyers find enough legal ground to turn to the Constitution
Court, we will certainly join ANC and file the lawsuit together,"
she says.
Political analyst Yervand Bozoyan told ArmeniaNow that turning to
the Constitution Court is a common political step that isn't likely
to make a big difference.
"By this the opposition will keep people tense and demonstrate that
the ruling party is unwilling to go for essential changes; and besides
it becomes obvious that the constitution, in fact, doesn't work and
that the provision is a formality," he says.
From: Baghdasarian
By GOHAR ABRAHAMYAN
ArmeniaNow reporter
POLITICS | 23.11.12 | 14:56
Oppositional Armenian National Congress together with the other
non-pro-establishment forces will be filing a lawsuit at the
Constitutional Court within eight days, claiming that the authorities'
actions subverting the urgent parliament session on Wednesday were
anti-constitutional.
The Armenian National Congress (ANC) initiated and the other
non-coalition factions, including the Armenian Revolutionary Federation
Dashnaktsutyun (ARF), Prosperous Armenia and Heritage, supported the
holding of an urgent session to discuss the ANC-submitted package of
amendments to election laws.
However, the ruling Republican Party of Armenia, holding absolute
majority in the parliament (69 mandates), and Orinats Yerkir party,
in coalition with the Republicans, had stated right from the beginning
they would not participate in the session, hence there wasn't a quorum.
ANC faction secretary Aram Manukyan told ArmeniaNow on Friday that
the political decision to turn to the Constitutional Court has been
made and the lawsuit is now at a stage of document-collection, and
it will take about a week.
"Even if nothing changes after turning to the court, by that step we
are trying to show that the authorities have violated the provisions of
the constitutional law," says Manukyan, adding that article 70 of the
Constitution allows law-makers to call an urgent parliament session
"by the order and within the timeline set by the initiator".
Parliament vice-speakers Eduard Sharmazanov countered during his
interview to RFE/RL that the political majority did not violate
the Constitution, but made use of its right and boycotted the
opposition-initiated session.
In order to turn to the Constitution Court 27 MPs have to sign the
petition (ANC has only 7), and Manukyan said they'd be approaching
their non-coalitional partners in the parliament.
PAP faction secretary Naira Zohrabyan told ArmeniaNow that their
lawyers are looking into it.
"If our lawyers find enough legal ground to turn to the Constitution
Court, we will certainly join ANC and file the lawsuit together,"
she says.
Political analyst Yervand Bozoyan told ArmeniaNow that turning to
the Constitution Court is a common political step that isn't likely
to make a big difference.
"By this the opposition will keep people tense and demonstrate that
the ruling party is unwilling to go for essential changes; and besides
it becomes obvious that the constitution, in fact, doesn't work and
that the provision is a formality," he says.
From: Baghdasarian