From squeaks to ghosts
Twenty-nine out of the 41 parliamentarians elected by the majoritarian system have not uttered a word at the National Assembly for the past five years, Armenian Revolutionary Federation-Dashnaktsutyun MP Artsvik Minasyan said during today's discussion on the transition to 100-percent proportional electoral system.
In the meanwhile, 51 out of the 90 MPs elected by the proportional system were active during the last NA convocation. To improve the situation, both the Heritage and ARF-D propose switching to a full proportional system.
"The majoritiarian system is a means to oust opposition," ARF-D MP Armen Rustamyan said during a joint conference convened by the Heritage and ARF-D.
Naira Zohrabyan, a member of the Prosperous Armenia Party (BHK) says she supports 100-percent proportional system but at first she needs to hear the opinion of the BHK leader [Gagik Tsarukyan]. The latter was election by the majoritarian ticket. Zohrabyan said her party had not discussed the opposition's proposal but would do it ahead of the debate in parliament.
Republican MP Koryun Nahapetyan, who was elected by the majoritarian system, disapproves of the full proportional system.
"It is up to the legislative body to decide which system is beneficial for our country and the parliament found the switch to 100-percent proportional system inexpedient at this stage," he said claiming that the political domain is not yet ready for the switch.
Coordinator of the opposition Armenian National Congress (HAK) Levon Zurabyan says the HAK supports the initiative by the ARF-D but warns everyone that the authorities are again going ‘to rape public will.'
"We still face the problem of 500000 ghosts who are not in Armenia but appear on the electoral rolls," he said.
