A historic step, solution to CC crisis: Judge Vahe Grigoryan on constitutional amendments

 10:18,

YEREVAN, JUNE 26, ARMENPRESS. Judge of the Constitutional Court of Armenia Vahe Grigoryan says the adoption of the Constitutional amendments by the Parliament, according to which the President of the Court and three judges who served 12 years are being replaced, is a courageous and historic step and is solving the crisis around the Court.

“I think this is a solution to the crisis around the Constitutional Court. And I definitely welcome this step of the Parliament. This has been a courageous step for various reasons, I think this has been a historic step because by making these changes the Parliament for the first time donated this change to the highest court – the Constitutional Court, with this highlighting the Court’s importance in Armenia’s public administration system and viewing it as a major crisis which needs to be solved”, the judge told reporters today outside the Constitutional Court.

He said there are currently 6 judges in the Court.

On June 22 the Armenian Parliament adopted the Constitutional amendments bill which proposes to replace the Constitutional Court President and CC judges who have served no less than 12 years in their position.

The bill was passed unanimously with 89 votes in favor.

With the adoption of the bill, the tenures of Constitutional Court Judges Alvina Gyulumyan, Feliks Tokhyan and Hrant Nazaryan were suspended, while the current President of the Court Hrayr Tovmasyan will continue serving as Constitutional Court member.

The bill has been drafted by more than 50 MPs of the ruling My Step faction.

The Constitutional amendments have already entered into force. Three new judges of the Court must be elected within two months.

Reporting by Anna Grigoryan; Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan