Armenian parliament approves EC bill in first reading: Six lawmakers vote against package (video)
The agreement reached in the result of the so-called 4+4+4 format discussions passed its first reading in the Armenian parliament by 106 to 6 votes on June 29. Lawmakers Nikol Pashinyan, Hrant Bagratyan, Zaruhi Postanjyan, Ruben Hakobyan, Tevan Poghosyan and Khachatur kokobelyan voted against the measure. Gagik Jhangiryan, a lawmaker representing the Armenian National Congress (HAK) faction in the National Assembly, spoke on behalf of his absent teammates. “The 4+4+4 format was proposed by the HAK together with the other political forces. The problems were also presented by our faction. We have signed the joint agreement. We support these changes, yet it does not mean that we accept the entire code, specifically the open proportional representation since…” Gagik Jhangiryan was unable to finish his sentence because his time was up. “Your time is up! You are saying pompous things here, but we've also done a lot [pf work],” said NA Speaker Galust Sahakyan. Naira Zohrabyan, head of the Prosperous Armenia Party (BHK) faction, said the agreement was the result of joint efforts. “We need to implement this agreement after its adoption. It really offers serious levers to prevent fraud. We shall vote for the document because it contains proposals initiated by our faction,” she said. Lawmaker Khachatur Kokobelyan said he had made three proposals but none of them had been accepted. “I think that these changes are cosmetic changes and I am going to vote against them. “I think we should not have attempted to change the Electoral Code and we had better leave it unchanged,” Galust Sahakyan tried to joke. BHK member Elinar Vardanyan spoke in the name of the newly formed Hamakhmbum (Consolidation) party. She said the changes are technical, but important. “We shall vote for the bill which we view as an agreement on definite issues. However, one of the major issues of the EC, the open proportional representation, still needs to be reviewed,” she stressed.
