Armenia`s new Constitution should not contain references to  Declaration of Independence - premier 

ArmInfo.  The new Constitution of Armenia should not contain any references to the Declaration of Independence. RA Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated this on his  Facebook page.

"I know there's a lot of debate on this topic, in particular, about  whether to include a reference to the Declaration of Independence of  the Republic of Armenia in the text of the new Constitution. I've  clearly stated my position on this issue, stating that the new  Constitution should not contain a reference to the Declaration of  Independence. And what's the rationale for that? A very simple  rationale. Yesterday, I spoke and have spoken in recent years about  the need to end the Karabakh movement. If we adopt a new Constitution  today, and the preamble to the Constitution contains a reference to  the Declaration of Independence, it will mean that we are continuing  the Karabakh movement. If we continue the Karabakh movement, it will  mean that we are renewing the conflict with Azerbaijan, and if we  renew the conflict with Azerbaijan, it will mean that peace is  impossible. If we refer to the Declaration of Independence, it means  that we are accepting the discourse of 'Western Armenia'; indirectly,  we are accepting the discourse of 'Armenia from sea to sea,'" the RA  Prime Minister said.

According to him, currently in Many in Armenia's domestic political  life say this is a demand from Azerbaijan and Turkey. "But let's ask  ourselves, dear citizens of the Republic of Armenia, do we want this  or not? I have clearly stated that we must not continue the Karabakh  movement; we must stop the Karabakh movement. That is, today, the  Karabakh movement in Armenia has been stopped, at least at the  official level. Armenia is a democratic state, and if the citizens of  the Republic of Armenia decide otherwise, naturally, I, as Prime  Minister of Armenia, and the Civil Contract Party will take this  decision into account.  This is not a topic for discussion; we have  never and will never question the people's right to make decisions.  But we are also obliged, as a political force with a mandate from the  citizens of the Republic of Armenia, to present the political content  or perception of the content that we have formed as a result of our  activities over the past eight years," Pashinyan said.

In his opinion, this assertion is becoming increasingly valid with  each passing day, because the war party's success in the elections  will mean the continuation of the Karabakh movement, with all the  ensuing consequences. The Civil Contract Party, its leader continued,  is the only political force that clearly speaks about the need to  renounce the Declaration of Independence. Through its communication  with citizens, the Armenian people are embracing the ideology of  "Real Armenia." "If the people of Armenia had not embraced the  ideology of 'Real Armenia,' I would not be Prime Minister today.  Because in 2024, if I'm not mistaken, I said that as Prime Minister  of Armenia, I would decide to end the Karabakh movement. If the  people do not agree with this decision, I call on the people to take  to the streets, stage a revolution, and remove me from the post of  Prime Minister of Armenia. The citizens of Armenia have this  opportunity in the upcoming elections. But the citizens of Armenia  also have the opportunity to carry out this historic and political  revolution when we focus on the interests of our sovereign state and  act exclusively in these interests-that is, in the interests of the  security, well-being, and peace of the citizens of Armenia," the  Armenian leader stated.

Pashinyan also touched on the topic of the church. In his opinion,  the content of spiritual life in Armenia is gradually weakening, and  the ongoing campaign against the church is being carried out in its  name, and the people should be given a "fair trial" in the elections.  The Prime Minister believes that instead of spiritual preaching, the  Armenian Apostolic Church is now engaged in political activity. "Our  Holy Church is polluted and contaminated," the RA Prime Minister  noted.