ArmInfo.RA President Armen Sarkissian does not rule out possibility of seeking a consultative opinion of relevant international structures and experts on the constitutional referendum. This is stated in a statement by the President's press service in response to numerous media questions regarding the referendum. The statement in particular notes:"In response to multiple questions raised by the mass media and related to the referendum on the changes at the Constitution of the Republic of Armenia, we inform that:
Guided by the provisions of Article 206 of the Constitution, the President of Armenia signed a decree to set April 5 as the referendum day. According to the mentioned Article, after the National Assembly adopted a decision to call a referendum, the President in a three-day period sets a date for the referendum.
At the same time, in view of the importance of constitutional changes, necessity to maintain the rule of law and to uphold Armenia's international standing, the President does not rule out the possibility of conducting in future consultations with social and political groups, expert community, and state bodies - National Assembly, government, Constitutional Court, and of seeking a consultative opinion of the relevant international structures and experts.
The President of Armenia has expressed on a number of occasions his principled position on the expediency and necessity of adopting the most important decisions related to state and public life through the direct participation of the people, i.e. through a referendum."
To recall, on February 6, the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia adopted a decision on submitting draft amendments to the Constitution to the referendum. 88 MPs voted for this decision, against 15. It is a question of introducing amendments to Article 213 of the Constitution, providing for the dissolution of the Constitutional Court. On February 9, Armen Sarkissian appointed a referendum on constitutional amendments for April 5 this year. To note, Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructures of the Republic of Armenia Suren Papikyan will head the <Yes> referendum campaign headquarters.