The situation linked with making constitutional reforms in Armenia is simply absurd, the head of the Armenian National Congress parliamentary faction, Levon Zurabyan, told Arminfo correspondent when commenting on the concept of the draft constitutional reforms that foresee transition to the parliamentary government system, and on Serzh Sargsyan's statement that semi-presidential government system is the most optimal for Armenia.
"Usually, in all over the world the authorities change the government system if it is not enough optimal for the country. As for Armenia, here the authorities have initiated the issue, although they think that the current government system is optimal for the country", - he said.
He also added that despite Sargsyan's statements that he is not going to occupy the premier's position after 2018, the true purpose of the constitutional reforms is reproduction of the ruling regime. "Of course, Sargsyan was right when saying that he is not going to occupy the position of the premier, but I think that he will easily lay aside his words after the "insisting" demands of the "general working public" to head the government", - he concluded.
To recall, 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. The authors of the project offer changes to the system of the presidential election. The presidential contenders must be non-party men, which will make them impartial arbiters for the legislative and executive powers. The new reforms will give the president a role of an arbiter with no executive powers. The authors of the project of constitutional reform explain such 'innovations' with the intention to de-monopolize the power, as a super-powerful president enjoying the support of the parliamentary majority inherently grasps the power. Meanwhile, the Committee members say a president having no party belonging will not be able to monopolize the power in the country.