ArmInfo. The reform of the Constitution in order to resolve the situation in the judicial system of Armenia has ripened for a long time. A similar opinion was expressed to ArmInfo by the head of the parliamentary faction of the Bright Armenia Party Edmon Marukyan.
"I don't have any information whether our authorities intend to initiate these reforms. But I know that according to the Strategy for reforming the judicial field approved by the government, Armenia will once again go through the reform of the Constitution. Considering that there are many problems, moreover, not only in the Constitutional Court, but also in the courts of first instance, the Court of Appeal, the Court of Cassation, such a reform is a necessary, "he said.
According to the politician, citizens face problems every day in all the above-mentioned institutions, but they rarely turn to the Constitutional Court to resolve them. Marukyan considers inappropriate that against the backdrop of this vast amount of problems in the judicial system, the country has today concentrated on the chairman of the Constitutional Court Hrayr Tovmasyan.
In this light, the politician considers it necessary to stop the possibility of using this situation by Tovmasyan, his lawyers, and the former government against the institutional authorities of the new Armenia. According to him, everything needs to be done to prevent the possibility of pinning on Tovmasyan a label of a victim of political persecution.
"Already today, former Prosecutor General Gevorg Kostanyan claims that the criminal case brought against Tovmasyan on taking power is contrary to the European Convention. Meanwhile, according to the RA Code of Criminal Procedure, Tovmasyan does not have the status of an accused or even a suspect. But I don't think that Tovmasyan will do the same, since in this case he will have to state that he is the accused. Meanwhile, in order to bring him on the case as the accused, it is necessary to obtain the relevant permission of the Constitutional Court. All this had to be considered before starting a criminal case against him, " Marukyan concluded.
On October 4, the National Assembly of Armenia adopted an appeal to the Constitutional Court on termination of the office of Hrayr Tovmasyan, prepared by the parliamentary faction of the "My Step" bloc with 98 votes in favor and 1 vote against. The initiative of the ruling party was initially supported by colleagues from the Bright Armenia faction.
On September 14, the Constitutional Court of Armenia rejected the consideration of the deprivation of authority of its head Hrayr Tovmasyan. In the clarifications submitted on October 18, the Constitutional Court pointed out the inconsistency of the terminology in the parliament's appeal regarding the use of the wording "judge, member of the Constitutional Court" and the deviation in this regard from the norms of the laws "On the Constitutional Court" and "Rules of Procedure of the National Assembly". The Constitutional Court also indicated that the appeal of the parliament was filed in violation of the deadlines established by law.