Yesterday the Armenian Parliament passed the bill on the amendments to the RoA Law on Referendum with 87 votes for, 7 votes against and two abstentions. Only seven deputies of the 131-member legislature voted against the amendment in the first reading. All but one of them represents the opposition Heritage party that has condemned it as unconstitutional. The bill was abstained by Hakob Hakobyan (the owner of Kilikia brewery) and a Prosperous Armenia MP Vardan Bostanjyan. Reminder: the draft amendment to Armenia’s law on referendums was submitted to the National Assembly and debated under an urgent procedure shortly after President Serzh Sargsyan reportedly pledged not to sign any peace accords with Azerbaijan without securing their approval by voters. It allows the government to hold non-binding plebiscites on any policy issue. The government sent the bill to the second reading 24 hours after it was adopted by the first reading. An MP from the Heritage faction Larisa Alaverdyan requested the NA that the second reading of the bill is not done in a rush and that more time is given for a more thorough discussion. Alaverdyan hopes that today the NA discusses her request and recommendation. “During the discussions of the first reading not only the Heritage faction MPs but also ARF members expressed opinions that the bill contradicts the Constitution. There were quite many recommendations. I first want to be enabled to have more time for the examination and discussion of the bill,” said Alaverdyan. The MP also wishes to ask the government whether the bill was sent to the Venice Commission for expertise.
