Not backing draft Electoral Code issue of principle not political interest: Republican party MP

Electoral Code is constitutional law which ensures conduction of elections while the created environment in the parliament is not the one for adopting such law, Republican faction MP Armen Ashotyan said at the discussion of the draft law today.

“The time restrictions, the hastiness will not promote the development of democracy. On October 16 the government approved the bill, on October 17 it submitted to parliament at the same time to Venice Commission and today on October 22 we are conducting extraordinary sitting and want to pass the bill in two readings,” he stated, adding that it is not a bill on holidays and memory days.

He said that the December snap elections are unavoidable and urged not to tie the discussions over the bill with the elections.

He also stated that there is no need in convincing the Republican party as it does not pursue any political interest. “We have no political interest, it is a matter of principle: there is European political democratic rule which says change the Electoral Code but conduct elections in a year. Dear government, you may pass the bill without the Republican, according to my calculations you have 65 votes but it will not be political consensus. You are endangering the country with such working style,” he said, urging not to put a mine under Armenia’s democracy.