A radical opposition group in Armenia has signaled its intention to seek public approval of its own amendments to the Constitution after rejecting the concept of a constitutional reform endorsed by President Serzh Sarkisian.
Garegin Chukaszian, the leader of the Founding Parliament, a movement of political and civil activists seeking regime change in Armenia, told RFE/RL’s Armenian Service (Azatutyun) on Friday that they have drafted a so-called Civil Contract with which they are going to secure public consent to drafting the country’s new Constitution.
The group leader’s statement came against the background of the endorsement by President Sarkisian of a concept of constitutional amendments under which Armenia will become a parliamentary republic.
Some opposition parties in Armenia regard this move as an attempt by Sarkisian to ensure the reproduction of his political power beyond 2018 when his second and final presidential term will end. Sarkisian himself has vowed not to seek another top government post after the reform.
Founding Parliament members do not recognize the legitimacy of Sarkisian and have not taken part in any debate regarding the planned constitutional reform.
Chukaszian said that political parties advocating dubious values should not represent the people in a process like changing the Constitution. “This should have been done with the people’s participation and the proposals should have come from the people,” he stressed.
“Even the best document has no value if there is no people behind it, and there is no people behind these [government-proposed] constitutional amendments. It is oligarchs who stand behind this document,” the Founding Parliament leader charged.
The group has vowed to launch an anti-government push on April 24, the day when events commemorating the centennial of the Armenian genocide will be held in Yerevan. It has not yet elaborated on its actions planned as part of an ongoing campaign known as “Centennial Without This Regime”.