"Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan has clearly declared that he has no intention to run for the president or become the prime minister, which dismisses any allegations that the authorities seek to retain power by all means possible and impossible," Hovhanness Sahakyan, Secretary of the Republican Party of Armenia Faction in the Parliament, told ArmInfo. As for the project of the concept of constitutional reform featuring Armenia's transition to the parliamentary system of government, Sahakyan recalled Serzh Sargsyan's words saying that the system of government will be determined only after comprehensive political consultations and detailed discussions.
The parliamentarian said that the system of government will be left unchanged if the consultations and discussions arrive at a conclusion that there is no need for changing the system of government in the country. Sahakyan thinks the most effective system of government for Armenia is the presidential system.
Earlier today, the Presidential Committee for Constitutional Reform has made public a preliminary concept of the project of constitutional reforms that feature transition to the parliamentary system of government in Armenia. The document, particularly, calls to expand the parliament's supervisory powers, authorize the legislative body to elect the president for a 7-year term. Later today at a meeting with the members of the Commission for Constitutional Reform,
President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan said he is not going to run for president any more. "And even if as a result of public discussions a decision will be adopted to pass to the parliamentary system of government, I will not claim the position of the prime minister either", the president said.