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“How can fears be allayed that one of the political forces could establish autocracy?” the head of ‘Prosperous Armenia’ opposition parliamentary faction Naira Zohrabyan asked experts of the Venice Commission.

As was reported, a meeting of experts of the European Commission for Democracy through Law (Venice Commission) with representatives of political parties of Armenia is underway at Law Department of Yerevan State University. The draft new Constitution of Armenia is being discussed at the meeting attended by representatives of parliamentary forces, public figures, human rights activists, and law experts.

Venice Commission member Christoph Grabenwarter (Austria) said in response that based on experience of European Constitutions, the Venice Commission accepts that in the process of forming a Constitution, political stability is a legal purpose.

“We expressed concern over procedures regulating a second round of elections,” he said adding that their approach is that this provision should be removed. In his words, the lack of flexibility should not result in the availability of only one option of ensuring stability. So the Constitution should not impose this option of ensuring stability as the only one. “It cannot be said we reached a compromise. We have reached a common understanding,” Mr. Grabenwarter said.

As was reported, Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan submitted on August 21 the draft amendments in the Constitution of Armenia to the National Assembly. The draft amendments had been developed by the Commission on Constitutional Reforms under Armenian President. Vardan Poghosyan, a member of the Commission, has been appointed as official representative of Armenian President for presentation of the draft amendments to the Constitution in the National Assembly of Armenia. This week Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan plans to begin consultations with representatives of political parties regarding the approaches stated in the draft Constitution. The head of state also instructed the Commission on Constitutional Reforms under Armenian President to continue the dialog with the Venice Commission (VC) over those issues indicated in the VC’s preliminary opinion, around which no agreed solutions have been found so far.