Al Wefaq, Shia opposition group in Bahrain, reported on Saturday that "Constitutional amendments made by [the] Bahrain authority [were] meaningless and do not tackle the core of the problem". 

The party quoted statements made by a member of its party on Thursday at a press conference held by Bahrain opposition societies:

"Abdul-Jalil Khalil, former MP and member of al-Wefaq said that the new amendments do not meet with the Manama Document which was presented by opposition parties as a roadmap to resolve the political crisis in Bahrain, nor do they meet the seven reform principles announced by the Crown Prince last year or the BICI recommendations."

The also reported that Khalil said that the amendments failed to meet the National Action Charter issued by the King in 2001, which declared that the upper-house appointed by the King will act as a house of review and consultation for the laws made in the lower house. 

"The concept of separation of state powers will not be achievable under the new amendments," al Wefaq reported. 

 "Abdul-Jalil Khalil stated that the King's amendments do not reflect the demands of the Bahraini people, who will continue their pro-democratic movement and will not stop at such government games. He criticised the authority for keeping the right to appoint the cabinet, upper-house and judiciary exclusively to itself, without referring to the people. These amendments only strengthened the authority's stand to keep the 2002 constitution unilaterally issued by the King, he said." 

[Source: al-Wefaq.net]