At October 24 sitting the parliament continued debating the draft law of the amendments to the Electoral Code draft initiated by political forces.

Mr. Rafik Petrosyan, Chairman of the Committee presented the endorsement of the NA Standing Committee on State and Legal Affairs. As the head committee assessed, the draft law is ready for adopting in the first reading after editing it. Mr. Petrosyan also conveyed the concern of the Venice Commission on the process of checking the voter’s identity during the election. The experts think that we should check the identity in simplified order, meanwhile a complicated model of checking the same person three times is envisaged, which takes time. The Venice Commission also proposes not to hold election in martial law and emergency situations. Mr. Rafik Petrosyan, however, noted that the issue is regulated by Constitution. The Committee Chairman noticed in conditions of the absence of the consent of the political forces over the proportional and majoritarian correlation the process of making reforms in the electoral system slows down: today there is no final united stance.

15 MPs were registered for delivering a speech on the issue.

Mr. Viktor Dallakyan underlined that the reform of the Electoral Code is a necessary, but not a sufficient condition for free and fair election. The MP declared that he would vote against it. Mrs. Hranush Hakobyan considered more expedient to turn to the amendment of the Electoral Code after the elections than before them. Mr. Gegham Manukyan proposed to touch upon the regulation of recording and a number of problems after the first reading. The MP noted that their view of having 100% proportional electoral system is of principle and it hasn’t been changed. Mr. Gagik Avetyan proposed the authors of the draft a new approach concerning the moveable ballot boxes, which became a matter of dispute. He proposed to envision moveable precincts instead of them. Mr. Hmayak Hovhannisyan asked what principle was laid down in the ground of that draft law, who and how will ensure the freedom of the election. He thinks that the responsibility of the elections should bear either the state or, for example, the parties. The MP is convinced that it is not possible to Mr. Shavarsh Kocharyan talked about an important issue - the order of forming committees. He proposed a balanced model of their formation, when six members will represent both the power and the opposition. Mr. Kocharyan is for 100% proportional rating election. Mr. Armen Ashotyan touched upon some drawbacks in the draft law. The MP considered non-realistic the proposed term of the Venice Commission for the publication of the election data. As Mr. Sukias Avetisyan assessed, there are provisions in the draft law, which should be the matter of regulation of the Central Electoral Commission. He is against the use of the moveable ballot boxes, saying that it opens a wide field, and the opposition takes the advantage of it. Mr. Aram Sargsyan considers the moral-psychological atmosphere as an important condition in the electoral process.

The debate of the issue was interrupted with the MPs’ announcements.

The speeches on the Electoral Code amendments will continue at October 25 sitting.