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The constitutional reform in Armenia is a must, the chairman of ‘August 23 National Alliance’ human rights organization Pushkin Serobyan said at a press conference today.

In his words, many oppositionists did not even read the full text of the Constitutional Commission-authored draft amendments to the Constitution of Armenia, but they are speaking against the draft.

Serobyan said that the draft constitutional amendments were only presented so far and they can be improved.

The head of August 23 National Alliance NGO said at the same time that he is opposed to a switch to 100% proportional electoral system. “I have concerns that this system may not work in Armenia where the party system is not established,” he noted.

To remind, 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 Specialized Commission on Constitutional Reforms adjunct to Armenian President. Commission member Vardan Poghosyan was appointed presidential representative on constitutional reform issues in the parliament.

On September 11the draft amendments to the Constitution received a positive opinion of the parliament’s standing committee on legal and state affairs, and debates of the draft began at sittings of the National Assembly’s autumn session. Serzh Sargsyan already held consultations on the approaches stated in the draft new Constitution with representatives of various political parties.