Constitutional amendments look to pave way towards retention of the president's power and ruling regime, Levon Ter-Petrosyan, the first president of Armenia, leader of the Armenian National Congress said in his article published on ilur.am. The politician said the suggested document is a draft of the new Constitution, not just amendments to the existing one. The document suggests radical changes to the system of state government. He hailed the "No" Front's decision not to participate in debates that, as he thinks, look to distract the public attention from the essential issues.
"All the assurances that the Constitutional amendments are initiated to strengthen the statehood, balance the power branches, establish legal order, eliminate corruption and patronage, develop democracy, more effectively protect human rights and others are nothing but cynicism and hypocrisy," the first president said. He believes that the advocates of the constitutional amendments have nothing to do but swear up and down to promote the document. "They do not understand that the people cannot trust the swearing that comes from the people who have been robbing the country for many years, the people who make the nation migrate in large scales despite peace in the country, the people who rigged elections, concealed the terror attacks of October 27 and March 1 along with many murders and crimes," Levon Ter-Petrosyan said.
He said the supporters of the Constitutional amendments deserve compassion, as they have to prove the improvable and will fall in derision. Some do it voluntarily, while others are forced to do so. "However, their campaign for the Constitutional Reform has failed, as the surveys that were conducted at the behest of the authorities (the results are kept secret so far) revealed that the Armenian people opposes the amendments. This means that the authorities will have to use the full arsenal of methods - rigging, bribery, pressure and violence, administrative resource and criminal authorities - to push through the amendments," the first president said.
Ter-Petrosyan says all this may spark serious domestic policy shakes and a new wave of migration. He anticipates an increase in the public disappointment and weakening of the national unity and statehood. The politician drew the attention of the political forces and civic initiatives that are concerned for the future of Armenia and Artsakh at the current situation in the country. "Even the geopolitical situation is much more dangerous now comparing to 2008 and 2013, when the country experienced post-election shocks," he said.