YEREVAN. – One of the most important political sides of the draft constitutional amendments in Armenia is the opportunity for carrying out a change of power without shocks.

MP Gagik Minasyan of the ruling Republican Party of Armenia (RPA), which supports these amendments, stated the aforementioned at a press conference on Wednesday. 

In his conviction, this point is highly demanded by the Armenian society.

“No political force in Armenia has ever received more than half of the [parliamentary] seats with the proportional [representation] electoral system,” Minasyan stressed. “But the authorities have always gotten a majority [in Parliament]; provided, of course, that this majority was secured thanks to the majoritarian [voting] electoral system.” 

The RPA deputy continued that by transitioning to a parliamentary system, “We [i.e. Armenia] are getting great dynamics of political and economic events, [and] we’re getting an electoral system that rules out the majoritarian component.”

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.