Thursday, September 3 2020 15:06

ArmInfo. The "My Step" faction held a meeting with the candidate for the position of a judge of the Constitutional Court Yervand Khundkaryan. This was stated in an  interview with journalists on September 3 by the lawmaker from the  "My Step" faction, the chairman of the parliamentary Committee on  State and Legal Affairs Vladimir Vardanyan.

Vardanyan noted that given the fact that the representatives of the  Court of Cassation took part in the meeting of the Committee on State  and Legal Affairs, a wide range of issues was discussed with  Khundkaryan. He emphasized that the meeting with Khundkaryan took  place in a very friendly environment and that full answers were  received to all questions.

"In general, such discussions are held for the lawmakers, so that the  latter could form their opinion on the candidate. That is, whether  this person can be a judge of the Constitutional Court, whether he  has the required qualities. We will still have the opportunity to  listen to the candidates, get answers to all our questions. And the  voting will be secret and everyone will decide for himself whether he  wants to vote for this candidate or not, "the lawmaker stressed.

When asked whether the "My Step" faction would vote unanimously,  Vardanyan noted that it makes no sense to talk about a unified voting  system in a secret ballot, it is unconstitutional. <Each lawmaker  will decide for himself whether he wants to vote "for" or "against"  any candidate. There can be no pressure in matters of this kind. This  is the same as forcing voters to vote for those whom they do not want  to see in this or that position, "he stressed.

In response to the remark that Artur Vagharshyan was nominated as a  candidate for the position of a judge of the Constitutional Court by  the President of the Republic of Armenia, however, his candidacy had  already been rejected in the National Assembly once, Vladimir  Vardanyan said: "Nomination of a candidate is the constitutional  right of the president, and the right of parliament is to decide  whether the candidate is suitable for this position or not, "

To note the 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  adoption of the amendments, three judges who had worked for over 12  years were dismissed from their posts: Alvina Gyulumyan, Hrant  Nazaryan and Felix Tokhyan. The chairman 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, the third - by the General Assembly of  Judges.