YEREVAN (RFE/RL)–President Robert Kocharian called a nationwide referendum on the package constitution reforms approved by Armenian parliament last week. The amendmen’s would curtail the presidents constitutional powers and strengthen the legislature and the government.
The vote will take place on May 25–concurrently with parliamentary elections–the presidential press service announced on Tuesday..
The only legal means of changing the Armenian constitution is by way of a referendum. Amendmen’s need the backing of the simple majority of those voting. If voter turnout is below 50 percent–it would be deemed invalid.
The opposition has already made it clear that it will urge supporters to vote against the proposed constitutional amendmen’s.