Council Of Europe Body Backs Armenian Constitutional Reform
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- Armenia - President Serzh Sarkisian (R) meets with legal experts from the Council of Europes Venice Commission, Yerevan, 24Aug2015.
- Armenian Groups Join Forces Against Constitutional Changes
- Armenia - Opposition and civic leaders form an alliance against constitutional changes sought by President Serzh Sarkisian, Yerevan, 12Sep2015.
Armenian Constitutional Reform, suite RFE/RL Armenia Report - 14/09/2015 Council Of Europe Body Backs Armenian Constitutional Reform Harry Tamrazian 
Armenia - President Serzh Sarkisian (R) meets with legal experts from the Council of Europe's Venice Commission, Yerevan, 24Aug2015. In a major boost to President Serzh Sarkisian, legal experts from the Council of Europe have essentially endorsed the latest version of his administration's draft constitutional amendments, saying they are now "in line with international standards." In a weekend report, the Venice Commission argued that the constitutional reform package drafted by an Armenian presidential body has undergone important changes recommended by its representatives. The package calls for Armenia's transformation into a parliamentary republic with a largely ceremonial head of state and a much more powerful prime minister. The Venice Commission voiced a number of objections to the draft amendments after they were first made public this summer. It singled out a clause that envisaged a mandatory run-off vote between the two top election contenders in cases where no party or bloc wins a majority of parliament seats in the first round of voting. Armenian opposition groups believe that this unusual arrangement was designed to make it easier for Sarkisian's Republican Party of Armenia (HHK) to retain its control over the National Assembly. The Sarkisian administration agreed to revise this and several other amendments during an August 24-25 visit to Yerevan by three Venice Commission officials. The revised version of the clause stipulates that a run-off vote "may" take place "if no stable parliamentary majority is formed as a result of the election or through building of a political coalition." "Article 89 does not provide any more that a second round of elections shall be held, but only that is may be held," the Venice Commission stressed in the report posted on its website. "This solution is in line with the recommendation of the [commission's earlier] Preliminary Opinion and deserves to be welcomed," it said. "The Electoral Code will have to provide for the electoral system in detail; if it provides for a second round, the Code will have to deal in particular with the definition of "stable parliamentary majority" as the condition not to call for a second round of elections," added the report. Although the commission made a number of further recommendations to the Armenian authorities, it made clear that the existing draft will represent a "further important step forward in the transition of Armenia towards democracy" if it is backed by voters in a referendum due expected this year. Democratization is also the main official rationale for the constitutional reform advanced by Sarkisian. His political opponents insist, however, that the Armenian president is simply keen to retain control over the government after completing his second and final term in 2018. Levon Zurabian, a leader of the opposition Armenian National Congress (HAK), stood by the opposition claims as he dismissed the Venice Commission's conclusions on Saturday. Zurabian downplayed the changes made in the text, saying that "the regime's reproduction" remains its key aim. "We will keep fighting against the realization of this program with the same vigor," he said. Armenian Groups Join Forces Against Constitutional Changes By Karlen Aslanian 
Armenia - Opposition and civic leaders form an alliance against constitutional changes sought by President Serzh Sarkisian, Yerevan, 12Sep2015. About three dozen opposition parties, civic groups and other non-governmental organizations pledged at the weekend to jointly fight against sweeping amendments to Armenia's constitution sought by President Serzh Sarkisian. They stood by their claims that Sarkisian is keen to circumvent a constitutional ban on a third presidential term by expediting the country's transition to the parliamentary system of government. "We are calling on citizens of the Republic of Armenia and all political and social groups to join in the struggle unfolding in the country," read a joint declaration adopted by their leaders during a conference held in Yerevan. It said their "No Front" alliance will strive to mount "popular resistance" to the controversial constitutional reform. The alliance comprises two of the opposition parties represented in Armenia's parliament: Levon Ter-Petrosian's Armenian National Congress (HAK) and Raffi Hovannisian's Zharangutyun (Heritage). Its establishment was initiated by the You Won't Pass It pressure group which was set up recently with the specific aim of scuttling the constitutional changes expected to be put on a referendum later this year. Armen Grigorian, the You Won's Pass It leader, said the "No Front" will hold nationwide rallies as part of its campaign. But neither he nor other leaders of the new alliance went into details of that campaign. "We will do everything to ensure that this constitutional draft reinforcing Serzh Sarkisian's dictatorship does not pass," said Levon Zurabian, the HAK's deputy chairman. "It won't be a constitutional referendum. It will be a referendum about whether or not Serzh Sarkisian should stay on as Armenia's dictator." Armen Martirosian, a Zharangutyun leader, said that the No campaign will succeed only if Sarkisian is forced to resign. "Armenia's problems cannot be solved without the ouster of the current illegitimate regime," he said. The Founding Parliament, a more radical opposition movement that also joined the grouping, likewise stressed the need to use the forthcoming referendum for a regime change drive. Sarkisian has repeatedly stated that he will not become prime minister or hold any other state post after completing his second term in 2018 if Armenia's becomes a parliamentary republic. Opponents of his constitutional reform dismiss these assurances. Directory: wp-content -> uploads -> 2015 2015 -> Police Militarization 2015 -> 2015 ihbb championships: hs history Bowl Round 4 – Prelims First Quarter 2015 -> Wrtp/big step · 3841 W. Wisconsin Ave., Milwaukee, wi 53208 2015 -> Rao bulletin 1 December 2015 html edition this bulletin contains the following articles 2015 -> Darton College 2015 -> Training Workshop on Planning and Implementation of Multi-Sectoral Development Programme (MsDP) in Bihar Date : 6th 2015 -> Rao bulletin 15 June 2015 html edition this bulletin contains the following articles 2015 -> Rao bulletin 1 September 2015 html edition this bulletin contains the following articles 2015 -> Rao bulletin 1 August 2015 html edition this bulletin contains the following articles 2015 -> Science, and transportation united states senate Download 14.5 Kb. Share with your friends:
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