Tweet
VALUES ENSHRINED IN ARMENIA'S CONSTITUTION NOT WORTH EVEN A PENNY - OPINION
12:00 * 08.11.14
The chairman of the Helsinki Committee of Armenia says he doesn't
expect the proposed constitutional reforms to bring about major
changes without the society pressure.
In an interview with Tert.am, Avetik Ishkhanyan expressed his
skepticism about the proposed package, describing it as just a tool
enabling the ruling Republican Party of Armenia to strengthen its
positions in government.
"In the Constitution, we have a chapter which declares our freedom
and rights, but those declarations are not worth even a penny,
as the formation of power never ensures any protection of those
rights. From that point of view, it think, the constitutional reforms
are important, but what we know from the international experience is
that the separation of powers is possible only under the society's
pressure. The society understands that the country's development is not
possible as long as these authorities are in power," he told Tert.am,
adding that he doesn't see any specific demands by eiter the society
or the political forces.
Asked how he treats the proposed switchover to the parliamentary
model, Ishkhanyan said he doesn't think that the authorities have
any right to embark on such changes now. "One of the reasons I think
is that it used to be a slogan, but for some reason, they now think
about the possibility of a power change. If we accept the fact that
this change is just a trap by the authorities, I think it is always
possible to reveal that it. If they supported the parliamentary
government model, why didn't they then initiate that when they saw
their proposals never met an approval?. There is really a trap here;
so it was always possible to boycott," he replied.
Armenian News - Tert.am
12:00 * 08.11.14
The chairman of the Helsinki Committee of Armenia says he doesn't
expect the proposed constitutional reforms to bring about major
changes without the society pressure.
In an interview with Tert.am, Avetik Ishkhanyan expressed his
skepticism about the proposed package, describing it as just a tool
enabling the ruling Republican Party of Armenia to strengthen its
positions in government.
"In the Constitution, we have a chapter which declares our freedom
and rights, but those declarations are not worth even a penny,
as the formation of power never ensures any protection of those
rights. From that point of view, it think, the constitutional reforms
are important, but what we know from the international experience is
that the separation of powers is possible only under the society's
pressure. The society understands that the country's development is not
possible as long as these authorities are in power," he told Tert.am,
adding that he doesn't see any specific demands by eiter the society
or the political forces.
Asked how he treats the proposed switchover to the parliamentary
model, Ishkhanyan said he doesn't think that the authorities have
any right to embark on such changes now. "One of the reasons I think
is that it used to be a slogan, but for some reason, they now think
about the possibility of a power change. If we accept the fact that
this change is just a trap by the authorities, I think it is always
possible to reveal that it. If they supported the parliamentary
government model, why didn't they then initiate that when they saw
their proposals never met an approval?. There is really a trap here;
so it was always possible to boycott," he replied.
Armenian News - Tert.am