Rethinking Constitutional Reforms in Context

Apella

Apella Institute for Policy Analysis and Dialogue is glad to invite you to attend the international conference, “Rethinking Constitutional Reforms in Context”,  which will discuss the emerging constitutional reforms in Armenia. The event will take place from 9:30 to 17:30, on July 10, at the Ani Hall of Ani Plaza Hotel in Yerevan.

The conference will feature talks by the drafters of constitutional changes, some of the leading experts in constitutional issues and democracy in Armenia, as well as distinguished international speakers. The members of the Presidential Commission on Constitutional Reforms, representatives from Government, international organizations, the civil society and media are invited to attend. The conference is sponsored by the Open Society Foundations-Armenia office.

AGENDA:

9:15- 9:30. Registration

9:30- 9:45. Opening remarks:

  1. Armen Mazmanyan, Director, Apella Institute
  2. Gagick Harutyunyan, President of the Constitutional Court and the Constitutional Reforms Commission
  3. Larisa Minasayn, Executive Director, OSF-Armenia

Session 1. 9:45– 11:15. Constitutional Reforms in Context

Moderator: Dr. Yegishe Kirakosyan, Yerevan State University

  1. Gagick Harutyunyan, President of the Constitutional Reforms Commission, “Human Rights in the Context of Constitutional Development”
  2. Miroslaw Wyrzykowski, Professor, Chair of Human Rights, University of Warsaw, former Judge, Constitutional Court, Poland, “Cui prodest? Hopes and Risks of Amending the Constitution”
  3. Karen Andreasyan, Ombudsman of the Republic of Armenia, “The position of the Ombudsman regarding Constitutional Reforms”
  4. Dr. Daniel Smilov, Programme Director, Centre for Liberal Strategies, Bulgaria and Professor of Comparative Constitutional Law, University of Sofia and CEU, “Can Constitutional Changes Foster Democracy? Lessons from Eastern Europe”

11:15- 11:30. Coffee

Session 2. 11:30- 12:45. Rethinking the Form of Government

Moderator: David Amiryan, OSF- Armenia

  1. Richard Kirakosyan, Director, Regional Studies Center, “Armenia’s Proposed Constitutional Amendments: A Critical Assessment”
  2. Dr. Alexei Pikulik, Director, Belarusian Institute for Strategic Studies, Assistant Professor, European University in Saint Petersburg, “Implications of Transition to Parliamentary Constitution for Democratic Development: Perspectives from Political Economy”
  3. Dr. Armen Mazmanyan, Apella Institute, “Parliamentary Constitution? Implications for Democratic Governance and Consolidation”

13:00-14:00. Lunch

Session 3. 14:00- 15:30. What kind of Democracy?

Moderator: Dr. Aleksandr Grigoryan, Apella Institute & AUA

  1. Dr. Alexander Markarov, Professor of Political Science, Yerevan State University, “Towards constitutional perfectionism or amendments that (n)ever end?”
  2. Dr. Ashot Khurshudyan, International Center for Human Development, “Political Conflict and Democracy: How to Balance Power?”
  3. Hovhannes Galstyan, Apella Institute, “Recapping the feedback from the expert community”

15:30- 15:45. Coffee break

Session 4. 15:45- 17:15. Rethinking Electoral System

Moderator: Aghasi Yesayan, Center for Electoral Democracy

  1. Varuzhan Hoktanyan, Transparency International Anticorruption Center Armenia, 
  2. Vahe Grigoryan, Human Rights Attorney, London, UK, “Access to the signed voters’ lists: Constitutional dimensions”
  3. Dr. Vardan Baghdasaryan, Apella Institute, “What turnout rate tells us about electoral integrity?”