YEREVAN. – The institution of referendum in Armenia has changed considerably by the constitutional amendments in 2015.

The First Deputy Minister of Justice, Artur Hovhannisyan, said the aforementioned at Tuesday’s special session of the National Assembly (NA). He stated this while introducing the draft law on referendum.

In his words, pursuant to this bill, not solely the one-third of the MPs and the government, but also 200 thousand citizens may petition for a referendum on the adoption of the Constitution of Armenia and the making of amendments to it.

In addition, it is envisaged that a bill may be submitted to the NA upon a civil initiative by 50 thousand citizens. But if this law proposal does not pass, another 300 thousand citizens may be added to the aforesaid 50 thousand, and the bill shall be put to a referendum.

“Third, it is envisaged that the matters of Armenia’s membership into supranational organizations—including the termination of membership in those organizations—as well as the matters of changing the borders of Armenia, are mandatorily put to a referendum,” Hovhannisyan added.