ArmInfo. EU Ambassador to Armenia Piotr Switalski and the US Ambassador to Armenia positively assessed the Prime Minister's aspiration to implement reforms in the country's judicial system. The Vice-Speaker of the National Assembly Alen Simonyan stated this on May 22 in a conversation with journalists.
He noted that the opposition in Armenia was clearly shocked by all that was happening and had not yet fully realized that power in the country belonged to the people. "It's not only executive and legislative power, the judicial power also belongs to the people. If the people are not satisfied with the National Assembly, our citizens can block all entrances and exits to the parliament, this is their right," the vice- speaker emphasized.
When asked by journalists about why very few people took part in the action to block the courts, the Vice- Speaker said: " "My Step" bloc can fill the whole Republic square if they wish, because we cooperate with our people. All courts were blocked, and many a one took part in the actions. However, I want to note that we do not interfere in the affairs of the judiciary, " Simonyan said.
To note, Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan made an appeal to the citizens of the republic to block the entrances and exits of all courts after the former President of Armenia Robert Kocharyan was released from custody under the guarantee of the former and current presidents of NKR Arkadi Gukasyan and Bako Sahakyan. At the call of Pashinyan, the buildings of the courts were blocked, later they were unlocked. The Ombudsman of Armenia, the Chamber of Lawyers and the Supreme Judicial Council, a number of international organizations opposed this step, urging not to interfere in the work of the judiciary.