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TACTICAL RETREAT?: OPPOSITION TAKES CREDIT FOR 'SLOWDOWN' IN CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM PROCESS
POLITICS | 19.10.14 | 10:45
http://armenianow.com/news/politics/57739/armenia_opposition_constitutional_reform_president _sargsyan
Representatives of Armenia's leading opposition groups have accredited
the apparent slowdown in the process of constitutional reform to
their anti-government campaign that included a public rally attended
by thousands of supporters in Yerevan last week.
Enlarge Photo
Arman Saghatelyan, the spokesman for President Serzh Sargsyan,
told Tert.am on Friday that the decision on the concept of the
controversial reform that was submitted to the head of state two days
before would not be made before February or March. "Given that some
issues discussed in the concept have a pronounced political component,
additional political discussions and a greater political consolidation
are expected in connection with them," he said.
Three leading "non-governing" parties of Armenia that are against the
reform and believe that Sargsyan is tailoring the Constitution to his
need to remain in power in another capacity after the competition of
his second and final term as president in 2018, meanwhile, described
the "delay" in the president's decision as an achievement of their
campaign. They, at the same time, believe that the reform should
be scrapped altogether because there is no political consensus on
it Armenia.
Levon Zurabyan, leader of the parliamentary faction of the opposition
Armenian National Congress, reacted by describing it as Sargsyan's
"tactical retreat" resulting from popular pressure.
Representatives of the Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP) and Heritage
also attributed the delay to their joint struggle.
Naira Zohrabyan, secretary of the PAP parliamentary faction, reminded,
however, that the agenda of the "troika" is not limited to opposition
to constitutional amendments only, but is also focused on other
"serious issues and challenges facing the country." She said that the
three parties would discuss the situation and express their common
position on it after that.
The next anti-government rally of the "troika" is slated for October
24.
POLITICS | 19.10.14 | 10:45
http://armenianow.com/news/politics/57739/armenia_opposition_constitutional_reform_president _sargsyan
Representatives of Armenia's leading opposition groups have accredited
the apparent slowdown in the process of constitutional reform to
their anti-government campaign that included a public rally attended
by thousands of supporters in Yerevan last week.
Enlarge Photo
Arman Saghatelyan, the spokesman for President Serzh Sargsyan,
told Tert.am on Friday that the decision on the concept of the
controversial reform that was submitted to the head of state two days
before would not be made before February or March. "Given that some
issues discussed in the concept have a pronounced political component,
additional political discussions and a greater political consolidation
are expected in connection with them," he said.
Three leading "non-governing" parties of Armenia that are against the
reform and believe that Sargsyan is tailoring the Constitution to his
need to remain in power in another capacity after the competition of
his second and final term as president in 2018, meanwhile, described
the "delay" in the president's decision as an achievement of their
campaign. They, at the same time, believe that the reform should
be scrapped altogether because there is no political consensus on
it Armenia.
Levon Zurabyan, leader of the parliamentary faction of the opposition
Armenian National Congress, reacted by describing it as Sargsyan's
"tactical retreat" resulting from popular pressure.
Representatives of the Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP) and Heritage
also attributed the delay to their joint struggle.
Naira Zohrabyan, secretary of the PAP parliamentary faction, reminded,
however, that the agenda of the "troika" is not limited to opposition
to constitutional amendments only, but is also focused on other
"serious issues and challenges facing the country." She said that the
three parties would discuss the situation and express their common
position on it after that.
The next anti-government rally of the "troika" is slated for October
24.