YEREVAN. – We are told, “The President of the Republic of Armenia agrees to be deprived of his power. Why do you dispute that in the Constitutional Court?” Edmon Marukyan, leader of the opposition Bright Armenia Party and head of its parliamentary faction, stated this in a conversation with journalists Wednesday.

"We do not view the president as a person, but as an institution. If there is another president tomorrow, the president must have that oversight, counterbalancing power. It is obvious that there was an agreement between the President of the Republic of Armenia and the political majority that the President give up that power, or not have such power. But that doesn't mean it's acceptable to us, so we're going to challenge that circumstance. If the Constitution has decided [for the President] to have that oversight mechanism to sign, then there is a sense in that. We will return that power to its place," Marukyan added.

To note, Armenian President Armen Sarkissian on Tuesday signed the amendment to the National Assembly (NA) Rules of Procedure, which supposes that an NA decision on specific constitutional amendments shall enter into force without the signature of the President—and from the day following its publication.