New Constitution will make democracy in Armenia more  institutionalized - premier

ArmInfo. The adoption of a new Constitution will make democracy in Armenia more institutionalized. This is the opinion of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.  "The most important institutional task for the next five years is to create an  organic connection between the judiciary and the people," Pashinyan  stated on September 23 during a panel discussion on the sidelines of  the Fourth Armenian Democracy Forum.

According to him, the judiciary in Armenia not only "does not come  from the people," but is also disconnected from them. In this vein,  he noted, proposals aimed at addressing this issue are being  developed in the context of the new Constitution.

"There is also a proposal generated by the political team. It  concerns the introduction of the institution of sworn attorneys. This  will finally resolve this problem," he noted.

As Pashinyan pointed out, the Armenian authorities had previously  stated that they had no connection to the judiciary. This certainly  couldn't be more welcomed, even by external forces. "Many decisions  were dictated by certain circles, including foreign ones, which is  one of the methods of hybrid warfare," he said.

On April 15, Pashinyan stated in parliament that the new version of  the Armenian Constitution should consider introducing the institution  of sworn attorneys in the country's courts. According to Pashinyan,  there is a feeling in Armenian society that law and justice in the  republic are administered by people alien to the people. This feeling  is exacerbated by expectations for the return of looted property to  the state. He noted that the situation can be resolved and existing  doubts can be dispelled by introducing jury trials.  Noting that in a  small country where everyone knows everyone else, family ties are  very strong, the prime minister acknowledged that this system may not  work. But even today, there are problems in the current judicial and  law enforcement systems, and by introducing the institution of sworn  attorneys in the republic's courts, the justice system itself will  not be cut off from the people. "On the contrary, it will be as fair  as the people. And the people are fairer than any prime minister,  minister, member of parliament, judge, prosecutor, investigator, or  police officer," Nikol Pashinyan stated.

On September 20, at the congress of the ruling Civil Contract party,  Pashinyan announced that after receiving a majority of votes in the  2026 elections, the authorities will initiate the process of adopting  a new Constitution of Armenia through a national referendum.