Regnum: Key Sponsor of Armenia’s Constitutional Reform Is a German Foundation

15.09.2015.  Regnum News Agency reports::

The autumn session of the Armenian Parliament began on Tuesday, September 15. After approving the agenda, which included a discussion of the draft Constitutional Reform under a special procedure, members of parliament proceeded to review the text of the proposed amendments.

On August 21, Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan, who initiated the constitutional changes, submitted the draft to the National Assembly. The document, developed by a professional committee, proposed a transition to a parliamentary system of government. Vardan Poghosyan, the president’s representative in Parliament and a member of the professional committee, presented the draft Constitutional Reform.

Before the discussion began, Levon Zurabyan, head of the Armenian National Congress parliamentary faction, an opponent of the constitutional amendments, proposed that Parliamentary Speaker Galust Sahakyan ensure the live broadcast of the plenary sessions on Armenian Public Television, given the importance of the issue on the agenda. However, the speaker initially rejected the proposal, citing a lack of time and funds for broadcasting. A few hours later, however, Sahakyan announced that the session would, in fact, be aired on Public Television.

After Vardan Poghosyan presented the draft document, members of parliament were given the opportunity to direct their questions to the representative of the professional committee.

Most of the questions focused on the more controversial provisions, particularly the possibility of holding a second round of parliamentary elections and the overall necessity of the constitutional changes. As a result, several noteworthy details came to light.

Poghosyan stated that all members of the professional committee were working on a voluntary basis and would not receive any compensation for their efforts following the referendum. He also noted that the Armenian state budget did not allocate any funds for the committee’s activities. “All business trips, meetings with the Venice Commission, and external sessions of the constitutional committee were financed by donor organizations, specifically, the German Society for International Cooperation,” Poghosyan said. The president’s representative added that he participated in the process as an expert driven by conscience rather than material interest, emphasizing that the draft document, among other things, reflected his own constitutional views. Otherwise, he said, he would not have agreed to represent the president on this issue.

Reportedly, before joining the presidential specialized committee on constitutional reform, Vardan Poghosyan headed the project “Consultation for Legal and Judicial Reforms in the South Caucasus” under the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ).

According to the GIZ website, the organization supports the Federal Government of Germany in implementing international cooperation initiatives aimed at promoting sustainable development.

Discussions on the draft constitutional reform are scheduled to continue in the Armenian Parliament tomorrow, the source reports.