YEREVAN. – The official figures on the current population of Armenia are extremely exaggerated, Haykakan Zhamanak daily reported.

“The head of a neighborhood group [in capital city Yerevan], which carries out an ‘inventory’ of the population before the [constitutional] referendum, made this assertion speaking with our correspondent.

“According to his rough estimate, 25 to 30 of the expected 100 returners [from migrant work abroad] have not returned [to Armenia] to this day, and they will hardly return because the migrant work season has ended long ago.  

“The work of such groups is very similar to a census, and it records an accurate sociodemographic picture. This picture, however, is not publicized under any circumstance [in Armenia],” Haykakan Zhamanak wrote.

The referendum on Armenia’s constitutional amendments will be conducted on Sunday.

Pursuant to the proposed amendments, the country will make a transition from a semi-presidential to a parliamentary system of governance, and conduct completely proportional parliamentary elections.

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