Friday, February 7 2020 16:59

ArmInfo. In my opinion, Armenia is on a long, too dangerous path.  Director of "Ashkharh" ("World") Center of Strategic Research Hrachya Arzumanyan expressed a similar opinion to ArmInfo. 

"There is nothing unexpected for me in the decision on the  constitutional referendum. Since May 2018, I have argued about the  need for the final completion of the transit of all branches of  government, including the judiciary. The world experience of a  revolutionary change of power dictates here not legal, but  exclusively political logic," he noted.

At an extraordinary sitting of the National Assembly of Armenia on  February 6, the MPs voted "for" holding a referendum on amendments to  the Constitution, providing for the termination of the powers of the  chairman and members of the Constitutional Court. The matter concerns  article 213 of the Constitution envisaging the tenure of members and  the chairman of the Constitutional Court. The adoption of the  amendments will allow the resignation of the current composition of  the Constitutional Court.

At the same time, Arzumanyan expressed concern about the slow  progress of the process of revolutionary change of power, which, in  his opinion, should have been completed in the first half of 2018.  According to him, Prime Minister Pashinyan, for a number of reasons,  extended the transit of power for 3 years.  However, the analyst does  not see insurmountable obstacles on Pashinyan's course. Especially in  the light of the inability of his predecessors to operate with  political technologies, which were too complex for them.  

Arzumanyan considers that the next political and geopolitical stage  on this path should be the removal from power and calling to account  for their actions of the current leadership of Artsakh. According to  him, the only alternative to the departure of the current authorities  is the involvement of the Armenian people in large-scale hostilities,  which is the most undesirable scenario for everyone.

"In this light, all that needs to be discussed with the current  authorities is the form of their leaving. It should be noted that, in  view of their own actions, the possible space for their calm,  favorable leaving is rapidly narrowing. And they are driving a  corner, which, it seems, is not even very well understood, "  Arzumanyan  summed up.

According to the logic of the ruling party, the continued exercise of  the powers of judges of the Constitutional Court, appointed before  the constitutional reform of 2015, creates a discrepancy between the  terms of office of judges appointed by the Constitution of 1995 and  appointed by the Constitution of 2005, while the powers of judges  appointed after 2015 are generally limited to 12 years. At the same  time, the head of the Constitutional Court Hrayr Tovmasyan was  elected to this post after the adoption of the new Constitution, but  before its entry into force.