News.am, Armenia
Aug 17 2019
Newspaper: Armenia Constitutional Court judges to reject authorities’ proposal
10:03, 17.08.2019
YEREVAN. – The predicament regarding the Constitutional Court (CC) of Armenia will not be resolved also as a result of the legislative changes proposed by the authorities, Hraparak (Square) newspaper reported.
“In exchange for resignation, the authorities have offered [the current CC members-judges] a lifetime salary and social guarantees, as well as a threat [to them]—with the prospect of being prosecuted—in the event of not resigning.
“[But] according to our information, the [current] CC judges are going to reject this proposal, since, first of all, such a law is unlawfulness; and even if the new CC judges who come in their stead do not recognize it as unconstitutional, not only will the lifetime salary will not be maintained after the dismissal of [PM Nikol] Pashinyan’s power, but, also, years later they will have to return that money to the state and answer for being a participant in the unlawful process. And second, by accepting the offer, it would mean giving in to the blackmail by the authorities.
“According to the vision of newly elected [CC] Judge Vahe Grigoryan who is sent by the authorities to the CC, there are currently [solely] two judges in the CC, [whereas] the others are [just] members, so, [new CC] judges shall be elected with new elections,” Hraparak wrote.