Levon Zurabyan: Either you are a cheater, or Venice Commission members cannot read... (video)
Serzh Sargsyan’s representative Vardan Poghosyan, who today introduced the package of the draft constitutional amendments during the parliamentary hearings at the Nationaln Assembly, spokes about the intensified border tensions in recent days. “If we appeared in a situation when the commander-in-chief of the country did not enjoy the support of the majority in Parliament, if he had levers and resources but could not use them, we would have a serious problem. The working Constitution does not authorize the President to mobilize the resources in a unified way in case of border tensions. If the president cannot do it, what is the purpose of his being commander-in-chief of the army?” Poghosyan said. Head of the Armenian National Congress (HAK) faction Levon Zurabyan announced that the faction had rejected Serzh Sargsyan’s proposal to meet and submit recommendations on the constitutional reforms. “We have nothing to offer. Nor do we intend to persuade anyone. But I want to speak about a fraud. Under the draft constitution, the country’s president becomes a ceremonial figure. I have read about a twenty constitutions these days, but never have I read that the president has no authority to nominate a candidate for prime minister," Zurabyan said. He finds it mysterious and incomprehensible that the Venice Commission concluded from the draft document that the prime minister is nominated by the RA President instead of a parliament speaker as is written in the draft. “Either you are a cheater who submitted a fake version to the Venice Commission, or the Commission members were unable to read the document. Or, both of them,” Zurabyan stressed. Addressing the head of the HAK faction, Hovhannes Sahakyan, Chairman of the NA Standing Committee on State and legal Affairs, said he was glad that HAK had changed its position and was participating in the discussions. Angered by Zurabyan’s words, Vardan Poghosyan said, “Mr Zurabyan, you had better keep your epithets to yourself because the same words can characterize your faction. At least, you could be aware of the question you are asking here. The document was clearly translated and forwarded to the Venice Commission. If you have any further questions, you had better ask the Commission. Anyone can make technical mistakes, it is quite normal. The prime minister is nominated by the NA Speaker and appointed by the president; we have not deviated from the parliamentary systems.
