Yes" Over "No": Government-Backed Constitutional Changes Approved in Armenia's Referendum
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22 YEARS The Noah’s Ark #45 (1085) 7 December 2015 Published Since 1993 Weekly Newspaper HIGHLIGHTS ÜáÛÛ³Ý î³å³Ý ß³μ³Ã³Ã»ñà (³Ý·É. / ýñ³Ýë.) Yes" Over "No": Government-backed constitutional changes approved in Armenia's referendum With all ballots counted in the December 6 constitutional referendum, the Central Electoral Commission said early on December 7 that more than 63 percent of the voters have backed the reform under which Armenia will become a parliamentary republic. According to preliminary results, more than 32 percent of the voters cast their ballots against the government- backed amendments. The number of voters who voted in favor of the changes in absolute figures equals to 825,622, which is higher than the required threshold of some 637,000 (a quarter of all eligible voters) under Armenia's law. Representatives of the ruling Republican Party and other parties that campaigned for the constitutional reform hailed the outcome, describing the refer- endum as a step forward. The political parties and groups opposed to the changes dismissed the vote tiple voting, vote buying, and others. publishing them after midnight. Levon as fraudulent. They pointed to "wide- The opposition Armenian National Zurabyan, an HAK leader, said that in fact spread" violations during the vote, includ- Congress (HAK) dismissed the first offi- Armenians have overwhelmingly rejected ing ballot-box stuffing, open ballots, mul- cial figures shortly after the CEC began continued on page 3 In This Issue PACE releases statement on Noyan Tapan Video Studio observation of Constitutional is offering professional video and photography for indoor referendum in Armenia p.3 and outdoor events such as weddings, birthday parties, official events, seminars and conferences. Tel: 060 27 64 62 "Khachaturian Meets Jazz": Address: Isahakyan 28, 3rd floor, Yerevan 0009 a Unique Concert To Finalize Khachaturian Fest' 15 p.10 "Noel Rosa: Poeta da Vila e do Povo": Noyan Tapan Printing House A Documentary by Brazilian Filmmaker is offering coloured and black and white offset and digital Dacio Malta Screened in Yerevan p.12 printing of books, brochures, booklets, journals, etc with Armenia's Levon Aronyan placed high quality and low prices Tel: 060 27 64 62 6th in FIDE ranking p.17 Address: Isahakyan 28, 3rd floor, Yerevan 0009 7 December #45 (1085) 2015 2 www.nt.am The Noyan Tapan Highlights POLITICS Armenian President addresses Climate Change Conference in Paris On November 30, in Paris, Serzh house gases shall be limited at the thresh- Sargsyan participated at the 21st old, which would keep the temperature Conference of the Parties to the United increase below the two degrees Celsius. Nations Framework Convention on Second, we shall adopt an approach Climate Change. The Conference, which is that is "general but differentiated," and take presided over by France, is attended by the into account the varying degree of the cur- Heads of state and government from 150 rent and historical responsibility of the countries and by thousands of delegates. At numerous countries. the beginning of the meeting, delegations Third, the responsibility and burden- present at this Conference with the sharing for limiting the emissions of green- unprecedented high level of participation house gases shall be distributed by taking paid a one minute silence tribute to the clear-cut and strong political messages to into account the rights of the contemporary memory of the victims of the November 13 ensure that safe future of the humanity has and future generations to utilize the climate terrorist attacks in Paris. no alternative. resources. According to the organizers, the pres- In the statement made at the And, finally, four, not to do anything ence of numerous world leaders at the Paris Conference, the President of Armenia first that would make the developing countries Conference in the wake of these tragic expressed gratitude to the President of to slide back. events proves that when it comes to con- France Francois Hollande for the excellent Armenia stands ready to undertake a fronting challenges presented to the entire organization of the Conference on Climate commitment of a quantitative limitation to humankind, civilization and solidarity are Change and hospitality despite the terrorist the increase of the emissions of greenhouse stronger than barbarity. attacks which shocked France and entire gases," said the President of Armenia. In In their opening remarks the President civilized world. conclusion, Serzh Sargsyan underlined that of France Francois Hollande, the Minister Considering climate change a global the challenge of climate change, as well as of Foreign Affairs of France Laurent challenge, Serzh Sargsyan underscored other contemporary global threats that are Fabius, who is presiding over the meeting, that it threatens equally all states, regard- of concern to us, recognize neither nation- UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, less of their size or level of development. al borders, nor international law, nor any Prince Charles of Great Britain and speak- Even though Armenia's share in global civilizational norms. According to the ers after them underscored the importance emissions is not large and does not exceed President, a challenge that a country may of the 21st Conference for the future of two hundredth of a percent, according to face in the modern interdependent and planet Earth and humanity and noted that the President Sargsyan Armenia attaches globalizing world is, in a collective sense, today people from all over the world are great importance to the need of combining a challenge to all of us. Therefore, the solu- looking at Paris, expecting that as a result efforts of all countries to address this issue tions shall be comprehensive, agreed upon, of the deliberations on the gravest chal- and as a developing nation has committed and coordinated. The President of Armenia lenge faced by the human kind - disastrous herself to contribute to this global endeav- said that it is important for us to evaluate change of climate, with no delay there will or. anew foundations of the global cohabita- be adopted a groundbreaking decision. "The Armenian national position was tion, and refine the toolbox at our disposal. The speakers concurred that the Final reflected in the "Plan of Actions defined at According to President Sargsyan, joint Agreement of the Conference to be adopt- the National Level" adopted by our response to the challenges of climate ed on December 11, should not be just Government. It is built upon the following change, should it be successful, may about good intentions: in their statements principles: become a precedent for a new kind of the world leaders should come up with First, global emissions of the green- endeavor. President Sargsyan meets PACE co-rapporteur on Armenia President Serzh Sargsyan received on Europe's support to the reinforcement of December 6 Alan Mill, PACE co-rappor- democracy, protection of human rights teur on Armenia, who has arrived in and rule of law in Armenia, underlining Armenia to observe the referendum on that Armenia has been consistently Constitutional changes. implementing reforms over the past President Sargsyan said the periodic years. meetings provide an opportunity to dis- Alan Mill, in turn, praised the cuss issues related to the comprehensive preparatory work done before the refer- cooperation between Armenia and the endum and hailed the close cooperation Council of Europe. with the Venice Commission. your efforts towards Constitutional Serzh Sargsyan hailed Council of "Please, accept out best wishes for amendments," Alan Mill said. 7 December #45 (1085) 2015 POLITICS The Noyan Tapan Highlights www.nt.am 3 PACE releases statement on observation of Constitutional referendum in Armenia A cross-party delegation of the tional change - the shift from a presiden- - the misuse of administrative Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of tial to a parliamentary system - was resources by executive bodies; Europe (PACE) was present in Armenia understood by too many citizens as being - allegations of pressure on, and from 4 to 7 December 2015 to observe the a means for the current president to attempts to corrupt, election officials; referendum on constitutional reforms remain in power after the end of his sec- - shortcomings in the training of which took place on 6 December and led ond (and what would have been final) precinct election officials, particularly to a new constitution. term. during counting; After a somewhat low-key campaign Concerning the voting process, the - the lack of mobile voting effectively with little public debate and a calm refer- delegation regrets that the authorities excluded disabled citizens from the endum day, according to preliminary were not more concerned by the integrity process. results, around 64% of those who voted of the process leading to a new constitu- The delegation urges the authorities to did so in favour of the changes, thus meet- tion and that it must mention several prob- address these issues in order to build trust ing the quorum of 25% of the registered lems, many of them already mentioned in in the voting process and in politics in voters needed to approve the changes. previous PACE, Venice Commission and general to ensure a genuinely democratic The relatively low turn-out, around OSCE/ODIHR recommendations: future for Armenia. 50% of the population, reflects the fact - the inaccuracy of the voting lists While in Armenia, the delegation met that the referendum was driven by politi- containing the names of many people leaders and representatives of parliamen- cal interests instead of the needs of the residing permanently abroad or even tary groups and parties, the Chairperson Armenian public and was perceived by deceased, leading to claims that these of the CEC, representatives of civil socie- many citizens as a vote of confidence in identities were usurped by people who ty and the media as well as the government rather than on the many then voted several times; OSCE/ODIHR experts.