Yerevan, September 23, ArmenPress: Deputy parliament chairman Tigran Torosian praised today the working Constitution, passed in 1995, saying it has contributed significantly to the democracy development and establishment of government institutions, but added that it has some shortcoming constraining the country's progress, which he said result from Armenia's scanty experience in constitutional right and practice back in 1995.

He said the expected constitutional amendments, proposed by the ruling majority, are based on constitutional guarantees ensuring the citizens' right to exercise their freedoms. He also emphasized a clause in the draft constitution that empowers the legislature with the right to elect the human rights defender, vesting him or her with the power to address to the Constitutional Court for protection of citizens' rights.

Another important clause, according to Torosian are a chain of amendments aimed to reform the judicial system, under which the Justice Council, headed now by the president of the country, will be immune from the executive power's influence. Under the clause the Council will be headed by one of its members.

The deputy parliament chairman also said the package of amendments seeks to create a balance among power branches. Some other changes are expected also to introduce more clarity in respect to local self-management bodies. Another draft amendment would allow the parliament to endorse or reject a prime minister nominated by the president, but the latter would be empowered to dissolve it if lawmakers reject his candidacies for three consecutive times.

Torosian said two other packages of alternative constitutional reforms, proposed by Arshak Sadoyan and the United Labor Party will be also discussed in the parliament. He said the conclusion of the Council of Europe Venice Commission on the amendments, designed by the majority, will arrive in early October.