Town Hall Meetings

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Town Hall Meetings
Hrazdan, Gavar November, 2005

• Constitutional Reforms in Armenia

Council of Europe International Center for Human
Development
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The Scheme of Town Hall Meetings in Hrazdan and
Gavar
Screen1
Screen 2
TABLE 2
TABLE 1
Floor Managers
TABLE 3
Area Facilitators
Issue Experts
Lead Facilitator
TABLE 5
TABLE 4
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Hrazdan
Hrazdan Youth Center, November 12, 2005
Theme of the discussion Constitutional Reforms
in Armenia
Participants profile
Total number
Occupation
Gender
12- NGO sector 19- government sector 13
students 11 unemployed 9- cultural sector
26- the business sector, 12- other sectors
37 female and 65 male
102 participants ------------------- 5 tables x
2 rounds
Support staff 18 ------------------- Facilitators
, Note takers, Experts Floor Managers
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Hrazdan
Hrazdan Youth Center, November 12, 2005
Participants getting acquainted to the summary
texts
The discussions have started
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Hrazdan
Hrazdan Youth Center, November 12, 2005
Participants getting explanations from Issue
Experts (invited legal advisors)
The Table Recorder tries not to miss any
important idea
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Hrazdan
Hrazdan Youth Center, November 12, 2005
More than 350 messages have been displayed on 2
large screens.
Local TV operator at work.
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Hrazdan
Hrazdan Youth Center, November 12, 2005
Participants are satisfied with the discussions
The prepared material had a good demand
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Hrazdan
Hrazdan Youth Center, November 12, 2005
2 x 5 tables
18 support staff facilitators, note-takers,
floor managers, issue experts, technical support
8 computers connected to LAN
2 multimedia projectors
473 messages generated at discussion tables
357 messages sent to central screens
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Constitutional Amendments Excerpts from the
discussion tables HRAZDAN
Chapter 1. The Foundations of Constitutional
Order

• I consider the proposed changes in this chapter
  positive. Willful actions and self-reproductive
  rights will decrease.
• There is a danger that the laws will not define
  all those responsibilities, which are necessary
  for defining the activities of the government.
• The executive authorities have turned from an
  agent to a dictator. The suggested changes make
  us hopeful that the situation will change.

Chapter 2. Fundamental Human and Civil Rights and
Freedoms

• Dual citizenship is necessary. It is our attitude
  towards the Diaspora. People have been far away
  from their homeland for a long time. Meanwhile,
  have always supported their fellow citizens. Now
  its time to express our appreciation for them.
• The danger is that times will come when there
  will be newcomers with more money, and the local
  population will appear in the streets.
• In summary, we should note that there is certain
  vagueness regarding the issue of dual
  citizenship, though in general, the concept is
  positive.

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Constitutional Amendments Excerpts from the
discussion tables HRAZDAN
Chapter 3. The President of the Republic

• Theres even no need to discuss the restriction
  of presidential responsibilities. It is
  absolutely positive.
• In fact, by restricting the role of the
  president, we indirectly enhance the public voice
  through strengthening the voice of the deputy of
  the National Assembly (NA), who gets the public
  votes.
• To transfer some of the responsibilities from the
  President to the National Assembly might be
  dangerous, in case the deputies are idling, which
  is the case today.

Chapter 4. The National Assembly

• To dissolve the NA after it has not been able to
  ratify a certain law within three months is too
  generous. The deadline should have been a month.
• The restriction of the cases when the President
  can dissolve the NA will allow the NA to work
  more effectively.
• NA is a significant institution. However, there
  is a need to change the attitude of people
  towards NA, in order for all these changes to be
  effective.

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Constitutional Amendments Excerpts from the
discussion tables HRAZDAN
Chapter 5. The Government

• The President should take the responsibility for
  the foreign policy, whereas the different
  ministers should deal with the internal issues.
  This is right.
• Thus, if the President does not enjoy the trust
  of the NA majority, consequently the trust of the
  Government as well, which is to be formed by NA,
  the countrys foreign policy becomes unruly.
• Perhaps the sense of full self-responsibility
  will contribute to more effective functioning of
  the Prime Minister.

Chapter 6. Judicial Power

• There have been some very fascinating incidents
  regarding the judicial authorities and their
  practices. It doesnt really matter what kind of
  changes are introduced. The new Constitution will
  not purge our judicial authorities of their
  faults.
• As of now the Constitutional Court has been a
  resort where the officials were appointed to
  earn money for doing nothing.
• The institution of the Ombudsman or Ombudswoman
  is a novelty in our reality. It is encouraging
  that the person is granted a right to apply to
  the Constitutional Court.

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Constitutional Amendments Excerpts from the
discussion tables HRAZDAN
Chapter 7. Local Self-Government

• Today all the heads of local governance are
  totally dependent on the government. This change
  is a must. The local self-governance should be
  independent.
• The appointed official (marzpet) should not be
  able to express distrust of the elected official
  (mayor) in front of another appointed authority
  government. This is a clever change.
• There is an article in this chapter, which is not
  clear. According to this article the communities
  may unite regardless of the results of the
  referendum.

General Observations

• If we do not accept European principles, the
  result will be an ambiguity on one hand, Armenia
  declares of a European direction, on another, she
  does not follow it. However, not all European
  perspectives should be accepted.
• Whether the Constitution changes or not, nothing
  will change for an ordinary citizen. We need to
  change ourselves
• The main issue regarding Constitutional
  amendments was and still is the issue of
  awareness. Today, here we have gathered together
  with people whose awareness is simply admirable.
  Had I brought three people from my brigade, you
  would have seen that they are absolutely ignorant
  of all these issues.

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Hrazdan
Hrazdan Youth Center, November 12, 2005
Voting results
Are you now ready to make your decision?
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Gavar
Gavar Community House, November 18, 2005
Theme of the discussion Constitutional Reforms
in Armenia
Participants profile
Total number
Occupation
Gender
20 NGO sector 17 government sector 22
students 18 unemployed 23 cultural sector
19 the business sector, 9 other sectors
88 female and 40 male
128 participants ------------------- 5 tables x
2 rounds
Support staff 18 ------------------- Facilitators
, Note takers, Experts Floor Managers
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Gavar
Gavar Community House, November 18, 2005
ICHD Executive Director introducing the rules
The discussions have started.
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Gavar
Gavar Community House, November 18, 2005
Getting acquainted to the printed material.
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Gavar
Gavar Community House, November 18, 2005
About 300 messages have been displayed on 2 large
screens.
Local TV operator at work.
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Gavar
Gavar Community House, November 18, 2005
The second round has started.
The final polling results of the second round.
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Gavar
Gavar Community House, November 18, 2005
2 x 5 tables
18 support staff facilitators, note-takers,
floor managers, issue experts, technical support
8 computers connected to LAN
2 multimedia projectors
312 messages generated at discussion tables
259 messages sent to central screens
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Constitutional Amendments Excerpts from the
discussion tables GAVAR
Chapter 1. The Foundations of Constitutional
Order

• The acting Constitution allowed state officials
  to always turn to normative acts for guidance.
  However, the proposed Constitution limits the
  list of these norms, which implies that the
  acting authorities, including local governance,
  will start acting strongly according to laws and
  wont be able to take on unfounded
  responsibilities.
• We dont think that the changes regarding the
  rights of officials will actually result in the
  effectiveness of their activities. However, these
  changes will allow people to better protect their
  rights. There will also be more clarity regarding
  the recognition of information sources about
  rights.
• This change may affect local governance
  negatively, since it may restrict their right to
  act freely in the matters of local importance.

Chapter 2. Fundamental Human and Civil Rights and
Freedoms

• Today I say, I vote for the opportunity of dual
  citizenship. Meanwhile I am not certain what
  laws the National Assembly will accept tomorrow
  to ratify the rights of a dual citizen.
• Getting a status of a dual citizen, Diasporans
  will feel more protected and will be more
  interested in investing in their motherland.
• I am very much concerned with the clause on dual
  citizenship, since we have a very vague idea on
  what rights and duties will be defined for a dual
  citizen where should the young men with dual
  citizenship serve in the army? In what country?
  Where should they pay taxes?

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Constitutional Amendments Excerpts from the
discussion tables GAVAR
Chapter 3. The President of the Republic

• Today we all see that the majority of the
  National Assembly is unanimous with the RA
  President. However, within this majority there
  are few people who really oppose the presidential
  perspectives, but their voices are not heard.
  Thus, by reducing the Presidents influence on
  the National Assembly, a precedent will be
  created which will ensure there is pluralism in
  the NA decision-making process.
• The fact that the rights and responsibilities of
  the President become limited, that the President
  cannot appoint and dismiss the Prime Minister,
  members of the government and the prosecutor all
  by himself, is very positive. These changes will
  contribute to the development of democracy in the
  country.
• Our National Assembly does not have adequate
  political maturity and level to be granted with
  so many rights.

Chapter 4. The National Assembly

• By granting the National Assembly with the right
  to appoint the Prime Minister, we increase the
  trust both towards the National Assembly and the
  Prime Minister.
• If people are given freedom, even if its
  limited, they tend to act free and without any
  complexes. This will be the case with the
  National Assembly as well. The Presidents
  supervision hampers the smooth functioning of the
  NA.
• I dont know if well ever have a legitimate
  National Assembly. Thus, I think its
  unacceptable to grant more rights to the National
  Assemblies similar to the acting one.

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Constitutional Amendments Excerpts from the
discussion tables GAVAR
Chapter 5. The Government

• The president wont be able to be a sole decision
  maker and implement both internal and foreign
  policies. This is an extremely positive proposal
  for change. Everybody should have a clear
  framework of rights and responsibilities,
  otherwise what happens is that one person
  decides, implements, governs and supervises all
  at the same time.
• Today the government totally depends on the
  President. These changes will allow the
  government to be freer in the most important
  aspect - the issues regarding internal policy.
• In this country no one is responsible for
  anything. So, it does not really matter how the
  rights will be divided. What is essential is that
  before launching any reform, someone,
  specifically the President, declare that s/he
  takes the responsibility for the whole process.

Chapter 6. Judicial Power

• The Board of Justice should be granted
  independence, so that it can appoint judges. The
  President should not have a say in this process.
• The chances to have an impartial court grow.
• Recently we have found ourselves in a dead-end
  after the last judicial instance we dont know
  where to turn, where we can find protection, and
  our last hope is on international courts. We hope
  that the Constitutional Court will become the
  instance where we can find protection, and it
  will acquire an important role in this process.

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Constitutional Amendments Excerpts from the
discussion tables GAVAR
Chapter 7. Local Self-Government

• Instead of empowering the institute of Marzpet
  (head of regional administration), which is the
  case today, it is necessary to empower the local
  governance. We need strong communities like air
  and water.
• Lets improve and perfect the election system, so
  that we eventually have fairly elected community
  leaders. In this case we can be certain that the
  community leader who has a big list of rights can
  contribute a lot more to the development of the
  community and will work only in the interest of
  this very community.
• During the elections of local governance bodies
  in our community the acting mayor asked the
  communist candidate , How do you plan to work
  with the authorities? This implies that the
  local governance bodies permanently and
  subconsciously are under the influence of the
  state authorities. Have the proposed changes
  offered any solution to this issue?

General Observations

• Many of us just think, Theres nothing we can
  do. Nothing depends on us. The indifference
  towards all these processes stems exactly from
  this attitude.
• Do you know that common people are not aware much
  of whats going on? They pass around these
  booklets with the draft of the Constitutional
  Amendments, the articles of which they often do
  not event get. There is a great need for public
  awareness. When the articles are detailed, things
  become clear. We stop looking for ghosts behind
  those. These changes should have been brought to
  such round tables long ago, so that our voices
  could have been heard.

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Gavar
Gavar Community House, November 18, 2005
Voting results
Are you now ready to make your decision?