G. Minasyan: Happy medium found in debate of draft Constitution’s provision on stable majority
During their meetings with members of the Commission on Constitutional Reforms under Armenian President, the MPs of the parliamentary faction of the ruling Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) put forward a number of proposals, most of which were related to the draft new Constitution’s provision on formation of a stable majority, Gagik Minasyan – a member of RPA faction, the chairman of the parliamentary standing committee on financial, credit and budget affairs – told a press conference today.
“A happy medium seems to have been found, which on the one hand gives ample opportunities to those forces who overcame the first round, and on the other hand it does not allow holding permanent parliamentary elections: and the state will not remain without a government,” Minasyan said.
According to G. Minasyan, as a result of discussions they found an option when a need for a second round may not arise: if a political force fails to gain a majority in the first round, then the forces that successfully passed the first round get an opportunity to form a coalition, gaining a majority in this way. “It is important that no restrictions be placed here,” he stressed.
To remind, 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. 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. Besides, Serzh Sargsyan has already held consultations on the approaches stated in the draft new Constitution with representatives of various political parties.