Robert Kocharyan: The country may roll towards the political monopoly and stagnation
Robert Kocharyan’s interview on the constitutional reforms “My viewpoint hasn’t changed: there is no need for constitutional reforms, especially such radical changes. All the problems and challenges that the country faces can be fully solved within the framework of current Constitution, which functionality isn’t questioned by anyone. The published draft surpassed my worst expectations. And it isn’t already about the choice between the semi-presidential and parliamentary systems of government. The draft constitution contains essential risks, which will lead the country towards de-facto one-party system, namely towards political monopoly and stagnation. The Soviet Constitution was full of nice words, but Article 6 on the ruling and directing role of the CPSU legalized the political monopoly of the communists.” All we know what finally happened to the USSR. The draft constitution’s saturation with nice phrases on human rights and social goals of the state seems to aim at disguising absolutely unacceptable way of forming the National Assembly, which undermines the very essence of the parliamentary government. Article 89 of the draft aims at ensuring the dominance of one party in the parliament, namely in the government. In our reality, irrespective of its popularity, it will be the party possessing the administrative and financial resources. And taking into consideration the absence of even a hint of inner-party democracy in Armenia, the patronage governance will become an inevitable and permanent evil, source of stagnation and a reproduction tool of the vicious system. In fact, the proposed draft turns the political monopoly into a constitutional norm. I don’t wish such a future to my country, that is why I am definitely against these reforms. A big mistake is being made, which consequences are extremely dangerous for the future of Armenia,” said the second President of Armenia Robert Kocharyan. 2rd.am
