YEREVAN. – The Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP) has never been against the constitutional amendments, and has only stated that they were ill-timed.

Member of the opposition PAP National Assembly (NA) Faction, Mikayel Melkumyan, noted the aforesaid at Friday’s NA briefings.

“Now, we [i.e. PAP] consider these amendments an important and a major step for the establishment of the [country’s] political field,” said the MP. “Life will show who will be able to take advantage of this opportunity, and how.”

Melkumyan added that a political monopoly reins over Armenia, it is concentrated in the hands of the President, and solely the proposed constitutional amendments can change this situation.

The referendum on Armenia’s draft constitutional amendments is slated for December 6.

Pursuant to the new draft Constitution, the country will make a transition from a semi-presidential to a parliamentary system of governance.

The opponents of the proposed constitutional amendments, however, consider them to be primarily the authorities’ attempt to hang on to power.