Azerbaijan, Baku, Dec. 19/ Trend , A. Huseynbala/ Azerbaijan's governing party welcomes changes to the Constitution.
"The processes that took place around the world and in economic and political life of the country since Azerbaijan's Constitution was adopted necessitate Constitutional reforms. Therefore draft changes and supplements to the Constitution composed of 29 items were initiated," MP Siyavush Novruzov, deputy executive secretary of the ruling New Azerbaijan Party (NAP), said to Trend .
Azerbaijan's Constitution was adopted in 1995 and changes and supplements were injected in 2002.
Changes can be made to the Azerbaijani Constitution only through referendum (article 152).
The Constitutional Court expresses its opinion in case parliament or Azerbaijani president proposes changes to the Constitution (article 153).
The governing New Azerbaijan Party has proposed to hold referendum to lift restrictions on term of the presidential office. A number of political parties in the parliament, public organizations and intellectuals supported NAP proposal.
According to item 5 of article 101 of Azerbaijani Constitution, one person can not be elected president more than twice. Term of presidential office is five years.
According to article 95 of the Constitution, municipalities make a report to the population. According to the proposed changes, the municipalities are expected to make a report to parliament.
According to the changes proposed to article 108 of the Constitution, rights of those elected Azerbaijani president earlier will be guaranteed by the Constitution and they will be granted status of former president. The changes to the Constitution will be discussed by the parliament on Dec. 19.
Latif Huseynov, chief of Legislation Department of Administration of the Parliament, said the parliament will set date for referendum after feedback of the Constitutional Court.
The changes to the Constitution cover economic, social fields, municipalities, legislative body, Cabinet of Ministers and various structures of supreme executive power, Novruzov said.
"There is a great need for these changes," Novruzov said.
Opposition Great Establishment Party (GEP) also welcomed changes and supplements to the Constitution.
"There are positive sides of changes to the Constitution," chief of GEP Fazil Gazanfaroglu said.
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