ArmInfo.The "My Step" faction respects the decision of the former candidate for the position of judge of the Constitutional Court Vahram Avetisyan not to participate in the elections for the position of judge of the Constitutional Court.
This was announced on August 18 in an interview with reporters by head of the "My Step" faction Lilit Makunts. To the journalists' remark that Avetisyan made this decision precisely after the meeting with the MPs from the "My Step" faction, since he considered it unrealistic to get 80 votes, Makunts said that the meeting with him was the same as with all other candidates.
"Of course, during the meeting with various candidates, we ask them rather acute questions. MPs can clarify all issues. Perhaps Vahram Avetisyan was confused by this," the head of the faction emphasized. When asked whether the government has a new candidate for the position of judge of the Constitutional Court, Makunts said that the faction was not aware of this. To recall, on August 17, former candidate for the position of a judge of the Constitutional Court of Armenia Vahram Avetisyan submitted to the Chairman of the RA National Assembly an application to withdraw his consent to be elected to this position. Avetisyan stated that after meeting with the MPsfrom the "My Step" faction, he realized that the approaches and views of some of the MPs regarding the role of the Constitutional Court, the apolitical and independence of the Constitutional Court judge are not in tune with the approaches and views of Avetisyan, and in some cases are unacceptable for him. Thus, Avetisyan stated that he considers his participation in the voting inappropriate.
To recall, earlier Speaker of the Armenian parliament Ararat Mirzoyan signed the law on amendments to the law "On the Constitutional Court", which was adopted on June 30. In accordance with them, the powers of all judges of the Constitutional Court are limited to 12 years. After the amendments were adopted, three judges who had worked for over 12 years were dismissed from their posts: Alvina Gyulumyan, Hrant Nazaryan and Felix Tokhyan. Head of the court, Hrayr Tovmasyan, has become an ordinary judge. New judges will now be elected instead. One candidate is proposed by the government, the second - by the president, and the third - by the General Assembly of Judges. The government has nominated Doctor of Law, Professor Vahram Avetisyan. At the general meeting of judges, chairman of the RA Court of Cassation Yervand Khundkaryan was nominated as a candidate for the Constitutional Court judge. The President nominated Artur Vagharshyan - Doctor of Law, Professor.