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ARMENIAN PM SARKISYAN LEAVES, AFTER ALL
Vestnik Kavkaza, Russia
April 4 2014
4 April 2014 - 9:21am
Susanna Petrosyan, Yerevan. Exclusively to Vestnik Kavkaza
Yesterday the Prime Minister of Armenia Tigran Sarkisyan surrendered
office, and President accepted the resignation at a session of the
board of the ruling Republican Party of Armenia. Right after the
session Sarkisyan left the building of the head office of the RPA
and didn't answer a question whether his resignation was connected
with a verdict on the pension reform by the Constitutional Court.
The other day the Constitutional Court (CC) announced its verdict
on a suit of four opposition forces which demanded to find the law
on funded pension anti-constitutional. The CC's verdict is based on
the legal rule which forbids any restriction of rights for citizens,
including the property right. The document points out necessity to
improve the law in the sphere of responsibility of state structures
and liabilities of pension funds.
The complicated and voluminous document adopted by the CC demands
attentive study, but the opposition has already expressed its attitude
to the verdict. According to an MP from the National Assembly from
the opposition Dashnaktsutyun Party, Artsvik Minasyan, the CC verdict
covered all aspects outlined in the suit by the opposition.
The court's decision was a surprise for the opposition -
Dashnaktsutyun, the Armenian National Congress, Prosperous Armenia,
and Heritage. They thought that the CC which is an adjunct of the
authorities would make an unclear decision at best and wouldn't
deprive the government of such a great amount of money.
Considering the Armenian specificity, for example, power
overconcentration in President's hands, it is impossible to imagine
that there is no political component behind the legal verdict. The
CC verdict is a starting point in internal political processes in
the country which will define further behavior of two rivals - the
authorities and the opposition.
Funded pensions and dissatisfaction connected with them among the
majority of the population are only a part of the internal political
process aimed at holding radical reforms in the country, including
a shift in power.
Regarding the CC verdict, two scenarios could be implemented for the
authorities. The first determined the authorities' behavior, according
to the well-known scheme in parliament, i.e. the boycotting of sessions
by the parliamentary majority or voting against any initiatives
by the opposition. The second scenario required a concession to
demands of the opposition on dismissal of the government headed by
Tigran Sarkisyan. It is unlikely, but the leadership could realize
that it was impossible to continue cheating on the society and make
unpopular decisions.
As for the opposition, before the CC verdict they have many times
stated that they intend to start a new stage of the struggle. "90%
of the population wants a change of the government; this number is
more important than the "button" majority," the head of Dashnaktsutyun
Armen Rustamyan believes.
"The authorities will yield only if people come to the streets. Our
goal is to provide all-national mobilization on Freedom Square,"
the head of the ANC Levon Zurabyan said.
The opposition plans to hold a three-day meeting on Freedom Square
on April 28-30. President will conduct political consultations in
the nearest future, after that a new prime minister will be elected.
http://vestnikkavkaza.net/analysis/politics/53546.html
Vestnik Kavkaza, Russia
April 4 2014
4 April 2014 - 9:21am
Susanna Petrosyan, Yerevan. Exclusively to Vestnik Kavkaza
Yesterday the Prime Minister of Armenia Tigran Sarkisyan surrendered
office, and President accepted the resignation at a session of the
board of the ruling Republican Party of Armenia. Right after the
session Sarkisyan left the building of the head office of the RPA
and didn't answer a question whether his resignation was connected
with a verdict on the pension reform by the Constitutional Court.
The other day the Constitutional Court (CC) announced its verdict
on a suit of four opposition forces which demanded to find the law
on funded pension anti-constitutional. The CC's verdict is based on
the legal rule which forbids any restriction of rights for citizens,
including the property right. The document points out necessity to
improve the law in the sphere of responsibility of state structures
and liabilities of pension funds.
The complicated and voluminous document adopted by the CC demands
attentive study, but the opposition has already expressed its attitude
to the verdict. According to an MP from the National Assembly from
the opposition Dashnaktsutyun Party, Artsvik Minasyan, the CC verdict
covered all aspects outlined in the suit by the opposition.
The court's decision was a surprise for the opposition -
Dashnaktsutyun, the Armenian National Congress, Prosperous Armenia,
and Heritage. They thought that the CC which is an adjunct of the
authorities would make an unclear decision at best and wouldn't
deprive the government of such a great amount of money.
Considering the Armenian specificity, for example, power
overconcentration in President's hands, it is impossible to imagine
that there is no political component behind the legal verdict. The
CC verdict is a starting point in internal political processes in
the country which will define further behavior of two rivals - the
authorities and the opposition.
Funded pensions and dissatisfaction connected with them among the
majority of the population are only a part of the internal political
process aimed at holding radical reforms in the country, including
a shift in power.
Regarding the CC verdict, two scenarios could be implemented for the
authorities. The first determined the authorities' behavior, according
to the well-known scheme in parliament, i.e. the boycotting of sessions
by the parliamentary majority or voting against any initiatives
by the opposition. The second scenario required a concession to
demands of the opposition on dismissal of the government headed by
Tigran Sarkisyan. It is unlikely, but the leadership could realize
that it was impossible to continue cheating on the society and make
unpopular decisions.
As for the opposition, before the CC verdict they have many times
stated that they intend to start a new stage of the struggle. "90%
of the population wants a change of the government; this number is
more important than the "button" majority," the head of Dashnaktsutyun
Armen Rustamyan believes.
"The authorities will yield only if people come to the streets. Our
goal is to provide all-national mobilization on Freedom Square,"
the head of the ANC Levon Zurabyan said.
The opposition plans to hold a three-day meeting on Freedom Square
on April 28-30. President will conduct political consultations in
the nearest future, after that a new prime minister will be elected.
http://vestnikkavkaza.net/analysis/politics/53546.html