/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Ankara is concerned about the package, covering 107 of the 119 articles in the Armenian Constitution. The reform package of constitutional reforms enables the Armenian Diaspora, which has a negative attitude towards Turkey, to have double citizenship, writes the Zaman Turkish newspaper. “The diplomatic sources, which say Diaspora is influential on Armenia, said: “If these changes take place, the Armenian Diaspora will increase its influence on Armenian policy even more by gaining voting rights also. This will reflect a negative effect on Ankara-Yerevan relations.” The latest public opinion polls show slightly more than half of the registered voters will vote and about 45 percent of them will say “Yes” to the package. However, it is still not clear whether the reform package will or will not be accepted.
Armenian President Robert Kocharian called the citizens to say “Yes” for the constitution change; however, the opposition, which thinks the parliament is misused by Kocharian, calls the citizens to say “No” and to boycott the referendum. Kocharian defines the opposition’s call for boycott as incomprehensible. Kocharian talked to the state TV prior to the referendum and expressed: “People urging to boycott the referendum have in their time boycotted the Karabakh war. Today these people live rather well and moreover, they are going to boycott the future of our country and our children. I will vote for the reforms and I will do it openly.” Kocharian defended the opposition does not have any solid arguments to support their criticisms and added: “Their propaganda will not have a trace in history,” the Zaman noted.
“Political observers, on the other hand, regard the positive outcome of the referendum as being important for the political advancement of Armenia. The opposition does not have the resources to have a revolution and there is no basis for the eruption of a possible rebellion, say the experts. Most of the people will vote for these amendments anyway partly because European experts have worked out such amendments. The Council of Europe had a direct “intervention” in the process of constitutional amendments to express its support for the reforms,” the Zaman writes.
Yorumlar kapatıldı.