DRAFT CONSTITUTIONAL REFORMS CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR FORMATION OF
PERFECT SYSTEM OF LOCAL SELF-GOVERNMENT IN ARMENIA: ARMENIAN VICE
SPEAKER
YEREVAN, AUGUST 16. ARMINFO. There are many gaps and contradictions
in the provisions of the draft constitutional reforms in Armenia
regulating the rights and powers of the local self-government bodies.
Head of the NGO Democracy Vardan Poghosyan made this statement today
at discussions on the draft constitutional reforms organized by the
union of Communities of Armenia.
He stressed the provision providing the executive power with a right to
dismiss heads of communities elected by the people, which contradicts
to the European Charter on local self-government. Petrosyan also
emphasized the provision regulating the formation of community budgets,
He thinks the Constitution must have a provision providing for the
communities choosing the mechanisms of formation of their budgets
and the ways to use the funds. At the same time, Petrosyan thinks the
Constitution must also stipulate that the communities are responsible
for effective fulfillment of budgetary funds.
In his turn, Vice Speaker of Armenian Parliament Tigran Torosyan
stated that The draft constitutional reforms create opportunities for
formation of a perfect system of local self-government in Armenia. He
thinks there are problems which must be settled at a legislative
level. “However, to create a perfect state, we should be guided both
by the written ands not-written laws,” Torosyan says.
To note, the draft will be considered in the second reading by the
Armenian Parliament on August 29 in the course of an extraordinary
sitting of the parliament. In Nov 2005 the document will be set to
a national referendum. Adoption of the document requires 1/3 of the
total number of electors in the country that is some 800,000 citizens.