Armenia plans to lower the parliamentary threshold required to submit constitutional amendments to a referendum, Justice Minister Srbuhi Galyan said during a briefing at the National Assembly.
She made the statement in response to journalists’ questions about parliamentary opposition to the proposed reforms, despite Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s assurances that the government would present a proposal the opposition would not reject, Sputnik Armenia reports.
Under current regulations, submitting a draft constitutional amendment to a referendum in Armenia requires the support of at least two-thirds of the total number of National Assembly deputies.
Galyan did not specify what the threshold would be under the proposed changes. However, she said the issue had already been included in the draft Constitution currently being developed.
According to the minister, the document also provides for a stronger legal framework, which will be presented as an initiative aimed at reinforcing democratic principles.
“After the adoption of the new Constitution, it will also be possible to amend the Constitution only through a referendum,” she said, clarifying that this would not eliminate the need for parliamentary approval. Rather, a certain threshold would remain for submitting amendments to a referendum.
Galyan explained that under the proposed system, parliament would no longer be able to amend the Constitution independently. Instead, the National Assembly would retain the authority to submit proposed constitutional amendments to a referendum.
The final decision on approving constitutional amendments would therefore rest with citizens through a nationwide vote.
“Since the Constitution is adopted by the people, and this mechanism is actually more complicated than making amendments through the National Assembly, let the people decide,” Galyan said.
The justice minister also addressed criticism from opposition political forces.
“The draft Constitution will be very balanced, while the opposition says all sorts of things and bangs its head against the wall. Enough already, enough. Enough! This is our internal affair, and we want the people to decide. I have absolutely no interest in what they say,” Galyan said in response to opposition allegations that the constitutional changes were being pursued at Baku’s behest.
According to the minister, a referendum could take place only after thorough and extensive public discussions of the draft. No deadline has been set.
During a briefing with journalists on October 29, Pashinyan said the government was preparing to propose constitutional amendments that could also be acceptable to the opposition. The prime minister also said the authorities had the ability to generate public pressure that could compel opposition lawmakers to vote in favor of the initiative.
On November 2, Pashinyan said the government intended to determine whether adopting a new Constitution would be sufficient to establish full and comprehensive peace with Azerbaijan.
