HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDER PREDICTS INFLUX OF PETITIONS TO CONSTITUTIONAL COURT

Armenpress
Jun 22 2006

YEREVAN, JUNE 22, ARMENPRESS: The recently elected Armenian human
rights defender Armen Harutunian predicted in influx of Armenian
citizens’ petitions to the country’s Constitutional Court after July
1 when an amendment giving this right to them enters into force.

The amendment was part of a package of constitutional reforms that
were adopted in last November’s referendum. Under the amendment,
Armenian citizens can seek justice at the highest court of the country
after they fail to find it in all lower level courts. Harutunian
commended the amendments describing it ‘as a very positive change." He
also welcomed another amendment that now allows one fifth of the
overall number of parliament members to apply to the Constitutional
Court. Previously only a petition signed by one third of all members
of the parliament was valid.

He said the new system of containments and counterbalances, stipulated
by the revised Constitution, is going to become effective next year
only following the parliamentary elections when the powers of president
and the National Assembly and the way the government is formed will
be reshaped.