YEREVAN. – The country is in a systemic crisis and it will remain so, if the people say “no” to the constitutional amendments. 

Ruling Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) MP—and businessman—Manvel Badeyan told the aforesaid to Armenian News-NEWS.am.

“We, (…) by making fragmentary changes, very often enter into conflict with the current Constitution,” Badeyan said. “A system has been created that this has become a country led by one person. The same will continue in case of ‘no’ [to the proposed constitutional amendments]; [but] there will be a democratic country in case of ‘yes.’”

The RPA MP, who was elected into Parliament with the majoritarian electoral system, welcomed the fact that the said constitutional amendments envision completely proportional parliamentary elections in Armenia. 

In his words, everyone will see in the next parliamentary election that the RPA will secure a majority in case of either a proportional or a majoritarian electoral system.

In response to the opposition’s claims that the ruling authorities will be perpetuating their power by way of these constitutional amendments, Manvel Badeyan stated: “All ‘songs’ of the opposition are about the change of power. Everyone imagines himself at the head of the authorities, and any step that is wanted to be taken [by the authorities] is criticized by the opposition and viewed as an attempt to eternalize power.”

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