Nikol Pashinyan: We do not have a Constitutional Court in accordance with Constitution

According to ARMENPRESS, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan says Armenia doesn’t have a Constitutional Court in accordance with the Constitution.

“Unlike the previous one when the member of the Constitutional Court was in office for life, now the term of office of the CC judges is 12 years. Unlike the previous one, the CC President is not elected by Parliament, but by the Court itself from its judges. The term of office of the CC President is set at 6 years, compared to the previous term of office for life. This model was formed in the Constitution of Armenia, and this Constitution at this moment is in force by 100%. We have a Constitutional Court described in the Constitution, but we don’t have a Constitutional Court in accordance with what is described there”, Pashinyan said in Meghri town during the campaign for YES vote in the upcoming referendum on Constitutional amendments.

Head of the ruling My Step faction of the parliament Lilit Makunts said holding this referendum has several reasons, and the future of each citizen will be determined with this referendum. “According to the new constitution procedure currently there are 2 CC judges, the remaining 7 judges are holding office for life. Taking into account this fact, the My Step faction launched a constitutional referendum to improve this situation from legal perspective. There are also suspicions that these 7 judges are not independent and are under the influence of certain persons and groups. This is the matter of the future of each citizen of Armenia because all of us are somehow dealing with courts”, she said.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan today started the campaign for YES vote in the upcoming referendum which is scheduled on April 5. The PM started his campaign from Syunik province. He is accompanied by his spouse Anna Hakobyan, Minister of education Arayik Harutyunyan, Minister of territorial administration Suren Papikyan and My Step faction head Lilit Makunts. The April 5 referendum proposes to suspend the powers of the President and 6 judges of the Constitutional Court.

11 March 2020 / 13:50