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RUSSIA GETS ARMROSGAZPROM STOCK
Vestnik Kavkaza, Russia
Dec 25 2013
25 December 2013 - 9:17am
Susanna Petrosyan, Yerevan. Exclusively to Vestnik Kavkaza
On December 23 the Armenian parliament ratified the agreement on
selling 20% of ArmRosGazprom shares which belonged to the state to
the Russian side; it provoked indignation in society and political
circles. However, for the first time in a while the voting process
which plays a key role in "pressing through" governmental decisions
turned into a fiasco, providing a motive for the opposition's justified
accusations.
MPs from the opposition factions - the Armenian National Congress,
Prosperous Armenia, Heritage, and Dashnaktsutyun - accused the
government of an agreement which contradicts the national interests
of Armenia. They urged the parliamentary majority not to ratify the
agreement, which gives exclusive rights to Gazprom. The opposition
activists were perplexed by an article which says that "assignment
of the assets and rights of ArmRosGazprom is provided without an
initial agreement in writing from the Armenian side." Moreover,
till 2043 Armenia has no right to import gas from any other company
but Gazprom; and till 2043 no law or decision can be made in Armenia
that would change or violate the rights and interests of Gazprom.
The Minister of Energy Armen Movsisyan states that everything is
secured by the Armenian laws, but considering the fact that there
are no such articles in the document, the minister's statements are
thought to be empty promises in Armenia.
The authorities found themselves in a difficult situation. First of
all, the parliamentary majority could hardly resist multi-faceted
and reasonable criticism by the opposition, presenting only low gas
prices as a key argument. Secondly, some deputies from the Republican
Party of Armenia also have doubts about the discussed document.
During the voting 43 opposition MPs left the hall as a protest. And
the well-known scheme failed. The parliamentary majority had to vote
by a show of hands, as voting cards suddenly disappeared (it was found
out that the cards of many government MPs were taken by the head of
Heritage, Zrui Postandzhyan); and they made a procedural error. The
opponents were quick to use the moment. According to the law on the
order, if the electronic voting system doesn't work, votes should be
counted by an election commission. The vote counting was organized by
the speaker of the parliament Ovik Abramyan. But nobody considered the
fact that the same law states that decisions are made by the majority
of an election commission which adopts a protocol of voting. And
four out of seven members of the commission are representative of
the opposition, who didn't take part in the voting.
According to the statement by four factions, the decision on
ratification of the agreement wasn't made. The opposition intends to
file a lawsuit to the Constitutional Court, which goes against the
decision on ratification.
The events of December 23 were the crown of all the processes that have
been happening in the country in the last 6 months, when almost any
step by the government faces resistance from society or the opposition,
including protests on the streets, joint demonstration and requests
to the Constitutional Court. The authorities are experiencing problems
fulfilling well-known schemes.
http://vestnikkavkaza.net/analysis/politics/49178.html
From: A. Papazian
Vestnik Kavkaza, Russia
Dec 25 2013
25 December 2013 - 9:17am
Susanna Petrosyan, Yerevan. Exclusively to Vestnik Kavkaza
On December 23 the Armenian parliament ratified the agreement on
selling 20% of ArmRosGazprom shares which belonged to the state to
the Russian side; it provoked indignation in society and political
circles. However, for the first time in a while the voting process
which plays a key role in "pressing through" governmental decisions
turned into a fiasco, providing a motive for the opposition's justified
accusations.
MPs from the opposition factions - the Armenian National Congress,
Prosperous Armenia, Heritage, and Dashnaktsutyun - accused the
government of an agreement which contradicts the national interests
of Armenia. They urged the parliamentary majority not to ratify the
agreement, which gives exclusive rights to Gazprom. The opposition
activists were perplexed by an article which says that "assignment
of the assets and rights of ArmRosGazprom is provided without an
initial agreement in writing from the Armenian side." Moreover,
till 2043 Armenia has no right to import gas from any other company
but Gazprom; and till 2043 no law or decision can be made in Armenia
that would change or violate the rights and interests of Gazprom.
The Minister of Energy Armen Movsisyan states that everything is
secured by the Armenian laws, but considering the fact that there
are no such articles in the document, the minister's statements are
thought to be empty promises in Armenia.
The authorities found themselves in a difficult situation. First of
all, the parliamentary majority could hardly resist multi-faceted
and reasonable criticism by the opposition, presenting only low gas
prices as a key argument. Secondly, some deputies from the Republican
Party of Armenia also have doubts about the discussed document.
During the voting 43 opposition MPs left the hall as a protest. And
the well-known scheme failed. The parliamentary majority had to vote
by a show of hands, as voting cards suddenly disappeared (it was found
out that the cards of many government MPs were taken by the head of
Heritage, Zrui Postandzhyan); and they made a procedural error. The
opponents were quick to use the moment. According to the law on the
order, if the electronic voting system doesn't work, votes should be
counted by an election commission. The vote counting was organized by
the speaker of the parliament Ovik Abramyan. But nobody considered the
fact that the same law states that decisions are made by the majority
of an election commission which adopts a protocol of voting. And
four out of seven members of the commission are representative of
the opposition, who didn't take part in the voting.
According to the statement by four factions, the decision on
ratification of the agreement wasn't made. The opposition intends to
file a lawsuit to the Constitutional Court, which goes against the
decision on ratification.
The events of December 23 were the crown of all the processes that have
been happening in the country in the last 6 months, when almost any
step by the government faces resistance from society or the opposition,
including protests on the streets, joint demonstration and requests
to the Constitutional Court. The authorities are experiencing problems
fulfilling well-known schemes.
http://vestnikkavkaza.net/analysis/politics/49178.html
From: A. Papazian