Wednesday, June 24 2020 18:11

ArmInfo. The Constitutional Court of Armenia expressed extreme concern about the latest developments around the Constitutional Court.

<We call on all public authorities to be guided solely and  exclusively by the Constitution in their actions and decisions. The  Constitutional Court continues to exercise its powers in normal mode,  ensuring the supremacy of the Constitution>, the statement said. Head  of the Constitutional Court Hrayr Tovmasyan, as well as judges Alvina  Gyulumyan, Feliks Tokhyan, Arayik Tunyan, Ashot Khachatryan, Hrant  Nazaryan and Arevik Petrosyan subscribed to the statement.

To recall, on June 24, Armenia's President Armen Sarkissian signed a  package of bills, including those related to amendments to the law on  the Constitutional Court. On June 22 the National Assembly at an  extraordinary meeting approved the relevant amendments According to  the proposed amendments, the powers of judges of the Constitutional  Court, who have been in office for more than 12 years, must be  terminated. After the vacant posts of judges are taken, the election  of a new head of the Constitutional Court will take place. Thus,  Hrayr Tovmasyan will lose his post as head of the Constitutional  Court, but will be able to continue to work as a judge.

To recall, in May this year, RA Minister of Justice Rustam Badasyan  requested an opinion of the Venice Commission on three legal  questions in the context of draft constitutional amendments  concerning the mandate of the judges of the Constitutional Court. The  Venice Commission presented a positive opinion on three legal issues  put forward by the authorities, emphasized the legitimate aim of the  proposed decisions and their compliance with European standards. We  are talking about the above amendments to the Constitution of  Armenia.  "The Government of Armenia expresses satisfaction with the  effective cooperation with the Council of Europe and the Venice  Commission and the efforts made that are aimed at the legitimate aim  of overcoming the crisis around the Constitutional Court in the  current situation in accordance with European standards," the RA  Ministry of Justice said in a statement issued earlier.