Speaker calls on opposition to allow new Constitution draft to go to referendum

Speaker of Parliament Ruben Rubinyan, a senior member of the Civil Contract party, has called on the opposition factions to allow the draft of the new Constitution to be put to a referendum, while retaining their right to campaign against it and ultimately letting the people decide.

“What is preventing them from giving enough votes in parliament to the text, technically, so that the people can decide? If, for example, they are right and this is a very bad Constitution, fine. Let them give the opportunity for it to be put before the people. Let them head the ‘No’ campaign headquarters and present their position to the people, and let the people decide,” he said at a press briefing.

Rubinyan stressed that the opposition can declare that it opposes the draft and present its arguments against it, while allowing citizens, including its own voters, to make the decision.

“They can provide a sufficient number of votes, declare that, as a political force, they oppose the text of the Constitution, but also explain why they oppose it, while saying: we are giving the people the opportunity to decide,” the Speaker of Parliament said.

He also criticized the approach of rejecting a text that has not even been published yet, stressing that it is necessary to familiarize oneself with its content before making assessments.

Addressing a question about the reference to the Declaration of Independence, Rubinyan said that this was not a matter of removing a provision from the existing text, as the new Constitution is being drafted from scratch.

The Speaker of Parliament added that his proposal was addressed to the two opposition factions in parliament.

The Civil Contract faction does not have enough seats in parliament to put a matter to a referendum on its own and needs to secure at least six votes from the opposition. Both opposition factions in parliament have said they will not support holding a referendum on the proposed new Constitution.