Lawmakers are guided by conscience and convictions, aren’t constrained by imperative mandate: First President Levon Ter-Petrosyan weighs in

First President of Armenia Levon Ter-Petrosyan, who was in office 1991-1998, has released an article on iLur.am, emphasizing the right of a Member of Parliament on not being constrained by his/her imperative mandate and to be guided by his/her conscience and convictions. The publication is titled A little But Important Observation.

“Although what I am about to say might seem trivial in the context of the ongoing surge in Armenia, I can’t not draw attention on the following fact. Article 94 of the Armenian Constitution stipulates: “A lawmaker represents the entire people, isn’t constrained with imperative mandate, is guided by conscience and convictions”.

Levon Ter Petrosyan argues that as the international community is insisting all the time these days, the most important in the process of forming a government is its compliance with the constitution and the letter of the law.

“However even without the hinting of the international community it is obvious in itself that it is in the interests of both the government, the opposition and Armenia. The legitimacy of a government formed in another way will not be acknowledged neither by the people, nor the international community. While we, for many decades, are witnessing what kind of threats this reality is creating in the issue of ensuring the country’s stability and domestic solidarity,” Ter-Petrosyan says.