Armenian President Armen Sarkissian refused to sign two bills into law and asked the Constitutional Court to pass judgment on them. As the President’s press service reported, the Armen Sarkissian refused to sign the bill on Making Amendments and Addenda to the Constitutional Law the RA Judicial Code and on Making Addenda to the Law on Justice Academy, citing “apparent legal-constitutional problems” emanating from them.

The legislation was approved by parliament on February 3 and submitted to the president for signing on February 4. According to the source, based on the examination of the administration and expert opinions, the president has submitted the bills to the Court along with legal justifications to determine their constitutionality.

To note, the legislation envisaged to increase the number of the judges in the First instance, in the General Jurisdiction and in the Appeal Criminal Courts. According to amendments, the number of the judges in the judicial system will be increased by 17, at least 8 of them in Yerevan. The amendments also established the institution of judges, which will only consider cases related to control over pre-trial proceedings, including those related to arrest as a preventive measure, establishing the legality of detention.

The opposition slammed the amendments  as "political, anti-constitutional," claiming that pro-government judges will be appointed to the newly created positions.