AGENDAS OF ARMENIA'S AUTHORITIES, OPPOSITION FORCES INCOMPATIBLE: OPINIONS
21:50 * 16.07.14
Armenia's authorities and opposition forces have two different
agendas and are following them, political scientist Karen Kocharyan
told Tert.am.
"The impression is that both of them are cut off from reality. The
opposition protested against the planned increase in electricity
prices and the law on funded pensions, but the authorities did what
they planned. They reach agreements on rare occasions," Kocharyan
said. The constitutional reforms are an issue the authorities and
the opposition forces cannot agree on.
Secretary of the Prosperous Armenia parliamentary group Naira
Zohrabyan compared public discussions of constitutional reforms to the
discussions of Leonid Brezhnev's "Virgin Lands" throughout the Soviet
Union, which was ordered by the Soviet leadership in the early 1970s.
"When you see who are participating in the discussion, you can see
workers of regional and rural administrations, who are brought pro
forma and later return to their everyday activities."
The Prosperous Armenia party believes that there is no public demand
for constitutional reforms now.
"I would like to quote Chairman of the Commission for Constitutional
Reforms Gagik Harutyunyan who said that 'without a public and political
consensus on the necessity for reforms, forced reforms could have
negative consequences.' I fully agree with Mr Harutyunyan."
Artsvik Minasyan of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation
Dashnaktsutyun (ARF-D) parliamentary group, which is for constitutional
reforms, said that the group calls for active participation in the
discussions and putting forward demands.
The ARF-D is for system reforms. On the other hand, if the system
remains unchanged, persons involved in the system will be inclined
to turn into "monsters."
"Our demand is as follows: without changes of the government
system, we cannot expect any serious political developments toward
improvement. We could have a reformed Constitution, with human rights
protection points, but if we leave the political system unchanged,
we will always have this 'super-presidential' system, which will
destroy all the constitutional institutes."
Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) parliamentary group member Manvel
Badeyan commented on Ms Zohrabyan's words, saying:
"What does it mean there is no public demand? But people want radical
reforms, which are only possible by means of Constitutional reforms."
Armenian News - Tert.am
From: Baghdasarian
21:50 * 16.07.14
Armenia's authorities and opposition forces have two different
agendas and are following them, political scientist Karen Kocharyan
told Tert.am.
"The impression is that both of them are cut off from reality. The
opposition protested against the planned increase in electricity
prices and the law on funded pensions, but the authorities did what
they planned. They reach agreements on rare occasions," Kocharyan
said. The constitutional reforms are an issue the authorities and
the opposition forces cannot agree on.
Secretary of the Prosperous Armenia parliamentary group Naira
Zohrabyan compared public discussions of constitutional reforms to the
discussions of Leonid Brezhnev's "Virgin Lands" throughout the Soviet
Union, which was ordered by the Soviet leadership in the early 1970s.
"When you see who are participating in the discussion, you can see
workers of regional and rural administrations, who are brought pro
forma and later return to their everyday activities."
The Prosperous Armenia party believes that there is no public demand
for constitutional reforms now.
"I would like to quote Chairman of the Commission for Constitutional
Reforms Gagik Harutyunyan who said that 'without a public and political
consensus on the necessity for reforms, forced reforms could have
negative consequences.' I fully agree with Mr Harutyunyan."
Artsvik Minasyan of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation
Dashnaktsutyun (ARF-D) parliamentary group, which is for constitutional
reforms, said that the group calls for active participation in the
discussions and putting forward demands.
The ARF-D is for system reforms. On the other hand, if the system
remains unchanged, persons involved in the system will be inclined
to turn into "monsters."
"Our demand is as follows: without changes of the government
system, we cannot expect any serious political developments toward
improvement. We could have a reformed Constitution, with human rights
protection points, but if we leave the political system unchanged,
we will always have this 'super-presidential' system, which will
destroy all the constitutional institutes."
Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) parliamentary group member Manvel
Badeyan commented on Ms Zohrabyan's words, saying:
"What does it mean there is no public demand? But people want radical
reforms, which are only possible by means of Constitutional reforms."
Armenian News - Tert.am
From: Baghdasarian