AS A SPEAKER FOR THE LAST TIME

The NA speaker Arthur Baghdasarian met yesterday the NA chairman of the Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh Oleg Yeseayan. In most probability it is theirs last meeting as Oleg Yesayan won't take part in the parliamentary elections held on 19 of June. It is known that the speaker of NKR is going to fill a post in Armenia, especially it is spoken about the possibility of becoming the member of the Constitutional Court.

IF THE PEOPLE DECIDE…

As you see the problem of constitutional amendments faced a new obstacle: the members of the commission of Venice who were engaged in constitutional reforms of Armenia were deeply dissatisfied introducing to text of constitutional amendments adopted by the RA NA first reading. The most principle proposals of the commission of Venice directed to the limitation of the President's authority have been ignored. On one hand you get sad for the coalition as they try hard to cheat the European experts adopting their non-principle proposals. And now dancing to the Europeans tune will mean to forget the own authority. And those who were against the project of the coalition and considered it non-democratic gloat over their misfortune and celebrate their victory getting the European assistance. The coalition has nothing to do besides declaring that the commission of Venice is too active and let our people to decide if they like the produced constitutional amendments.
Let the Europeans worry about their EU constitution, which the Frenchmen didn't adopt though the President Jacque Shirak was asking almost with tears in his eyes to say "yes". In reality the people of the country must determine the Constitution of their country. And the opinion of no European institution must surpass the opinion of the people. If the people like the Constitution with less European criteria they can ignore the opinion of the European experts. But there is a little exception. The anxiety of the commission of Venice in most probability connects with the fact that the Europeans know that Armenia isn't France. The Frenchmen can refuse the EU Constitution. But the official project will "be adopted" in Armenia. The people don't determine the fate of referendum in our country. Consequently it is meaningless to leave the fate of the constitution to the people. And the European experts knowing the national features of the Armenian elections and referendums try to make the authorities to produce to adopt a democratic project.
But if the Europeans succeed in it the authorities can fail the referendum. And then they will say: "We respect the election of the people."