Wednesday, July 8 2020 12:41

ArmInfo. The existing problems and  a somewhat ambivalent situation around the signing by the president  of amendments to the law "On the Constitutional Court" are a  consequence of the development of constitutional regulations under  the leadership of Serzh Sargsyan with the participation of Hrayr  Tovmasyan. A similar opinion was expressed by ArmInfo human rights  activist Arthur Sakunts.

On June 30, Armenian President Armen Sargsyan informed the NA Speaker  Ararat Mirzoyan of his refusal to sign the amendments to the Law on  the Constitutional Court. At the same time, the president did not  report the reasons for the refusal. Thus, according to the  Constitution, the law is to be signed by the speaker of parliament  within three weeks.

"Unfortunately, these adjustments continue to apply today. Meanwhile,  immediately after the" velvet "revolution, we had to develop and  adopt a new Constitution and, accordingly, new adjustments. Only in  this case we would not be in a situation in which we are today, we  were not faced with the need to act in accordance with the  Sargsyanov-Tovmasyan regulations, "he stressed.

The human rights activist emphasized the initial evidence that a  fragmented solution to the problem of the Constitutional Court would  be accompanied by problems. According to him, the problems of the  judicial system and the state management system need to be addressed  through a fundamental rather than partial reform. Both of these  systems should be brought into line with the criteria and  requirements of a democratic state based on the rule of law, which  has not been done since Armenia gained independence.

"Actually, bringing the judicial system in line with democratic  criteria was one of the main requirements of the velvet revolution.  And I cannot evaluate the decisions to replace individual judges as  systemic. I don't think that the discussion around these judges of  the Constitutional Court today is important at all. I personally am  much more concerned with the issue of restoring confidence in state  institutions. The latter is possible by adopting a legitimate  Constitution, "concluded Sakunts.

The National Assembly adopted the draft amendments to the  Constitution of Armenia, providing for amendments to article 213,  which regulates the term of office of the chairman and members of the  Constitutional Court, as well as the removal of judges appointed  before the seventh chapter of the Constitution expires. The project  also provides for the termination of the powers of the chairman and  the appointment of a new chairman of the COP. Thus, Hrayr Tovmasyan,  whose 12-year term of office as head of the Constitutional Court has  not expired, will continue to work only as a judge of the  Constitutional Court. On June 26, parliamentary amendments to the  Constitution entered into force. Three new judges of the  Constitutional Court should be elected within two months.