444) If Armenians say “Yes”, Fanatic Diaspora will Empower

The Armenian Society heads towards voting ballots in order to vote for the Constitutional change package, which will determine the power balance between the Parliament and the President.

Ankara is concerned about the package, covering 107 of the 119 articles in the Armenian Constitution. . . . The reform package enables the fanatic Armenian Diaspora, which has a negative attitude towards Turkey, to have double citizenships. The diplomatic sources, which say Diaspora is influential on Armenia, said: “If these changes take place, the Armenian Diaspora will increase its influence on Armenian policy even more by gaining voting rights also. This will reflect a negative effect on Ankara-Yerevan relations.” The latest public opinion polls show slightly more than half of the registered voters will vote and about 45 percent of them will say “Yes” to the package. However, it is still not clear whether the reform package will or will not be accepted.

Armenian President Robert Kocharian called the citizens to say “Yes” for the constitution change; however, the opposition, which thinks the parliament is misused by Kocharian, calls the citizens to say “No” and to boycott the referendum. Kocharian defines the opposition’s call for boycott as incomprehensible. Kocharian talked to the state TV prior to the referendum and expressed: “People urging to boycott the referendum have in their time boycotted the Karabagh war. Today these people live rather well and moreover, they are going to boycott the future of our country and our children. I will vote for the reforms and I will do it openly.” Kocharian defended the opposition does not have any solid arguments to support their criticisms and added: “Their propagandas will not have a trace in history.” In order for the reforms to be accepted at least half of the participants have to vote yes and this rate should be equal to at least one third of 2.4 million registered voters. The package, which predicts important changes in the constitution accepted in 1995, had been accepted in the parliament with 89 votes against zero. The Constitutional reform had been presented to referendum in 2003 once more but, it was not accepted then. Speaker of the Armenian Parliament Tigran Torosian, also a supporter of the referendum, said the new constitution will make the parliament the most powerful institution in the country.

Opposition Opposes Immunity and Right to Dissolve

The opposition, however, refuses to approve the reforms. Eighteen parties united against the idea of making constitutional amendments. Those opposing the reforms package are split into two groups of “no” voters and “boycotters”. Aram Sarkisyan, the Respublika leader and Viktor Dallakyan, the leader of Justice Bloc, object to the idea of giving the president the right to dissolve the parliament if the president does not find the legislation term of two months approvable. Granting the president immunity valid during his term of service as well as after his resignation as the president of Armenia was strongly objected by the opposition. According to them, the idea of rejecting the package of constitutional reforms provides opposition parties an opportunity to make their position certain and to overthrow the Kocharian administration. Former Prime Minister Aram Sarkisyan is one of those who object to the constitutional amendments. Sarkisyan accuses the authorities of distorting referendum results, warning against the possibility of such plots leading to a surprise mutiny that might result in destroying the governmental structure. At any rate, “we will be living in a new Armenia,” said Sarkisyan. Raffi Hovannisan, another opposition leader, thinks the referendum is “illegal”.

‘Orange Revolution Far Away from Yerevan’

Political observers, on the other hand, regard the positive outcome of the referendum as being important for the political advancement of Armenia. The opposition parties may receive enough support from the public, asserted the experts, not crediting the possibility of a revolution of the kind that was experienced in Georgia, Ukraine and Kyrgyzstan. The opposition does not have the resources to have a revolution and there is no basis for the eruption of a possible rebellion, say the experts. Most of the people are confused about the constitutional amendments; however, they will vote for these amendments anyway partly because European experts have worked out such amendments. Some people believe the new constitution will not cause a worse situation than the current one. “It is not important what the legislations include, but it is important how these legislations are put into effect,” say the people discontent with the current situation. The European Council had a direct “intervention” in the process of constitutional amendments to express its support for the reforms.

The referendum witnessed many colorful campaigns in which many propaganda tools were used such as media, banners, short messages (SMS) and others. While those in favor of changes used colorful banners, the opposition preferred using white banners.

Historical voting in Armenia

The constitutional amendments, which have been presented to voting today with a critical referendum, call for strict separation of judicial, legislative and executive bodies. The reform package envisaging the elimination of bans, which hinder the Armenian Diaspora to have dual citizenship, restricts the power of the president, increases the influence/power of the parliament and cabinet. The reform package entitles the parliament the right to appoint an ombudsman for human rights and to go for a vote of confidence in the parliament. The amendments foreseeing strengthening of human rights, pave the way for the citizens to apply to the Constitutional Court. Armenia witnessed many colorful scenes before the referendum.

‘Kocharian will benefit from it’

Armenian opposition objects the reform packages’ giving the authority to the president to dissolve the parliament if it does not support the government-supported laws for two months. In addition to this, it is noted giving a lifetime immunity right to the president will increase Kocharian’s power.


November 27, 2005
zaman.com