Constitutional reforms 'aimed at reinforcing' current government’s positions - politician

11:19 • 23.01.20

Law

The Armenian government’s agenda for fresh constitutional reforms is an attempt to strengthen the grip on the Constitutional Court to make the only remaining free bastion of the judiciary dependable on the ruling authorities' whims, according to Ruben Hakobyan, a former member of the National Assembly.

In an interview with Tert.am, the politician questioned the expediency of the proposed plan to create an expert commission, citing the "slightly visible" progress in the country since the 2018 government change.

″Any change, including a constitutional one, becomes directly necessary if its is well-reasoned, and aimed indeed at the state's development. But I do not see that necessity at the moment. If we consider the changes that took place after the government transition - and the extent to which they contributed to the development of our state to create a normal atmosphere in the society - we we will see that none of the said changes yielded any positive result,″ he said, citing Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's outcry against the previous parliament and repeated complaints about its failure to properly exercise its legislative function.

″This parliament [elected ahead of schedule] added no value at all to our legislative culture. The same goes for the government. I do not remember a cabinet so much subservient to a single person. Also attempts are being made to put the judiciary, which enjoys a certain degree of legal protection, into the fists of a single person. But that hasn't succeeded for now. The only remaining bastion which isn't obeying to him [the prime minister] is the Constitutional Court, which is to say none of the [steps] carried out behind the pretext of reforms has offered any advantage - if not the contrary. For me, definitely, all that is being done to strengthen grip power, as the idea behind the constitutional reforms is to maintain and reinforce authority,″ Hakobyan noted.

Asked to comment on the recently leaked information warning of the authorities’ move to collect ″compromising data″ about CC judges (in an effort to achieve their resignation), the politician said he is skeptical about the kind of reports but agreed, at thes same time, that the kind of efforts are visibly targeted against Hrayr Tovmasyan, the chairman of the high court.

″That Hrayr Tovmasyan is facing total pressure is a universally visible fact. I am more than sure serious pressure is being exercised also upon the other seven CC members,″ Hakobyan said, expressing a firm belief that the prime minister could have really issued the kind of order to the law enforcement authorities.

″The CC chair and the judges are the heroes who are able to really disobey [the orders] to maintain their professional dignity,″ he said.

Hakobyan also addressed the recent reports about a court order to wiretap Tovmasyan's phone conversations.

In his words, the surveillance measure was well exercised also in the past.

The politician recalled Pashinyan's move to block the courthouses after the Constitutional Court disobeyed his earlier order.

″I am confident they are committing a great number of anti-constituional offenses and illegitimate [actions] also today, and that will be definately resolved,″ he said, considering both the cabinet and the National Assembly, as well as the law enforcement authorities, “sacrifice offerings″ in the hands of the prime minister.

″They are obliged to have the understanding that they represent a state structure, and consequently do not have any right to obey a single person, because at the end of the day, we all are going to be responsible for the deeds committed. It is from now on visible that the present-day government will face accountability for the anti-constitutional steps we are eyewitnessing today,″ he added.

Armenian News - Tert.am

news.view.author Amalya Arakelyan