PRE-PLANNED DECISION MAKING IN THE ARMENIAN PARLIAMENT AROUSES CONCERN, HERITAGE PARTY LEADER SAYS

armradio.am
2007-07-06 12:49:00

"We are concerned over the atmosphere of pre-planned decision making
in the Armenian National Assembly, where we work for the first time,"
Raffi Hovannisian, Heritage opposition party leader, said in an
interview with ArmInfo.

He pointed out that even if there is free competition of ideas and
alternatives, it is not reflected in law making. The authorities used
to say that the national-wide referendum for Constitutional Reform in
2005 would lead to democracy development as the new Basic Law meets
European standards.

However, it has become quite evident now that everything in the country
is left unchanged and there is neither distribution of power branches
nor mechanisms for their restriction, R. Hovannisian said.

He also added that given this week’s extraordinary session of the
parliament, one can arrive at a conclusion that the present staff
of the legislative body continues not so good traditions of their
predecessors. The work style is like that of the Soviet period. The
parliament is engaged just in approving the initiatives of the
government and the president. In Soviet times we at least knew that
there is a definite ideology and system values which the authorities
adhered to. Now, everything is done under the colour of democracy,
but less has been changed, Heritage leader said.

The first initiatives made by the government do not correspond to its
recently approved programme of activities. As soon as the programme
was approved, the government added bills restricting the freedom of
speech and the powers of the parliament when ratifying international
agreements. The powers of the parliament are evidently restricted
in favor of the government and the president. Raffi Hovannisian said
that Heritage intends to make preventive alarms of possible negative
consequences of any decision by the parliament. If the parliament of
new convocation continues its work style, it will lose its authority
and will not cope with its high role in country’s life, which is
stipulated by the Basic Law, R. Hovannisian said.