Today, February 17, the campaign for the referendum on constitutional changes has launched. The campaign will continue until April 3.
According to Armenpress, the ruling Civil Contract party has already formed a “Yes” headquarters, led by Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure of the Republic of Armenia Suren Papikyan.
The deadline for deputies to form a “No” headquarters expires on February 17; as of this moment, none of the parliamentary forces have announced the formation of a “No” headquarters.
The political council of the parliamentary Prosperous Armenia party has decided that the party will not participate in the process of holding the referendum on constitutional changes. Party member Naira Zohrabyan stated this during a conversation with journalists after the February 15 meeting of the Prosperous Armenia party’s political council.
The other opposition force in parliament, Bright Armenia, has also announced that it will not launch a “No” campaign, although the faction voted against the National Assembly’s decision to hold the referendum. Bright Armenia party chairman Edmon Marukyan also called on other forces not to form a “No” front.
If no side registers as a campaign participant within the set timeframe, a group of at least 50 citizens may form the “No” campaign side. An application to register a “No” campaign side by citizens may be submitted to the Central Electoral Commission starting February 18, 2020.
Extra-parliamentary political forces have also not announced the conduct of a “No” campaign. The Republican Party of Armenia has announced that it will not participate in the process in any way, while the ARF has called for boycotting the referendum.
The referendum on constitutional changes will take place on April 5. The referendum proposes to terminate the tenure of Constitutional Court President Hrayr Tovmasyan and six members of the court.
