On September 1 the National Assembly continued the activity of the extraordinary session.

By the right of an extraordinary speech, Vahan Hovhannisyan, NA Vice Speaker, presented his viewpoint. The constitutional amendments he considers necessary for a country being on the way to Euro Integration, and finds that the history of the creation and amendments of the Constitution in Armenia is a history of lost opportunities. It was noted that the Constitution can’t be acceptable for everybody (not everybody may like the Constitution), as being the country’s and the people’s, it includes provisions considered and disputable and acceptable by various political forces. By Mr. Hovhannisyan’s estimation, the Constitution is a result of political consensus, mutual compromises, agreement and comprehension. The NA Vice Speaker reminded that even in case of adoption of a number of proposals of the opposition they refused to participate in political consensus. “The opposition’s leaving from the chamber showed that they were not interested in whether their proposals would be accepted or not,” said Mr. Hovhanissyan. By his conviction their colleagues reject not the draft but the authors of the draft. For the political amendments’ success and for the development of the country the more important circumstance the NA Vice-Speaker considered the establishment of the Security Council. In solving the Karabakh conflict, we’ve always had a collision with two incompatible principles i.e. the protection of regional integrity and the nations’ self-determination. The world is always more inclined to the protection of regional integrity: that principle is avoided in cases, when there’s a collision between democratic and anti-democratic developments. If we prove that the bearer of constitutional amendments is Armenia, we’ll have considerable success in the Karabakh conflict, we’ll win more favorable positions than Azerbaijan has today in any negotiation format,” considered Vahan Hovhannisyan. He stated that ARF will say “yes” to the draft, and will carry out constitutional active propaganda.

By the characterization of Armen Harutyunyan, RA President’s representative, the Constitution is a juridical and political document. By Mr. Harutyunyan’s estimation the Constitution is a document defining the bases of organization of public life, and can’t fully satisfy the various political parties having different approaches and programs. He noted that the acting Constitution is not an anti-democratic one, if it wasn’t in compliance with the democratic demands, Armenia could not have been the member of the Council of Europe. As RA President representative assured, in the aspect of state construction, the constitutional amendments will give a new impetus for the country. He highly estimated the activity of the coalition in the direction of draft amendment, stressing that a serious work has been also done by various political parties. Mr. Harurtyunyan touched upon the role and high authority of the NA. The RA President’s representative is sure that the Constitution will say its positive word in the political history of the country.

The NA Vice Speaker Tigran Torosyan, Chairman of the NA Ad-hoc Committee on Matters of Integration in European Structures, in his co-report stressed that a number of international organizations have approved and promoted the draft of the Constitutional amendments. Mr. Torosyan specified that the Constitution should be respected. “When there’s a choice, we must decide what do we want, a bended or balanced system of checks and balances. Do we want the full role of the Parliament or limited opportunities? Or we should go to deepening the democracy, or to authoritarism, the transitive process can’t last forever,” said Mr. Torosyan. According to NA Vice Speaker, there must be made amendments and provide making independent and fair resolutions in the judicial system, to create an opportunity for fair distribution of incomes for the full activity of marzes. As Mr. Torosyan assured, the draft of the constitutional amendments is for our country, for our society, it includes the problem of renaissance of the people, the Karabakh conflict.

Mher Shahgeldyan, the co-author of the draft, considered the draft of the constitutional amendments a document, which in the future will be an updating factor of the political system. He noted that a process of mutual agreement was carried out, hot discussions were going on and the specialized international structures: PACE Venice Commission, OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights , (ODIHR), the European Union approved the draft, the Ambassador expressed the positive opinion of the USA, so the draft of the constitutional amendments has acceptable provisions for the democratic countries. The main speaker presented in detail the MPs’ proposals of substantial and editorial nature, stressing that a great deal of which are acceptable and will be debated during the period from the second to the third reading.

By votes, 98 for, 0 against and 1 abstentious the National Assembly passed the draft of the constitutional amendments in the second reading.

The extraordinary session, exhausting the agenda, completed its work.