Ex-chief of Armenian top court staff questions legitimacy of parliament
Nikol Pashinyan has no right to hold the prime minister’s office, Edgar Ghazaryan, a former chief of staff of Armenia’s Constitutional Court, told reporters outside the government building on Tuesday.
Pashinyan announced his resignation on 25 April to pave the way for the snap parliamentary elections in June. Meanwhile, he stated that he will continue to perform the duties of caretaker prime minister before the elections, citing the applicable law and the Constitution.
Ghazaryan also cited the Constitution in an effort to substantiate his claims. “The provision according to which members of the government continue to fulfill their duties until the formation of a new government, naturally applies to those cabinet members who did not step down. Whereas, the officials who resigned and whose resignation was accepted, in particular former Minister of Labor and Social Affairs Mesrop Arakelyan and former Prime
Few political leaders are as embattled as Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.
Many in the South Caucasus nation blame him for the humiliating defeat in last year’s war with neighbouring Azerbaijan over the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh.
Thousands of protesters, top generals and political opponents urged him to resign, while thousands of grieving families of refugees from Nagorno-Karabakh flooded Armenia.
And resign he will.
The grey-bearded 44-year-old has said he would step down later in April.
In a March 18 Facebook post, after much pressure to do so, Pashinyan announced a snap parliamentary vote in June as the “best way out” of the crisis.
Armenia’s Constitutional Court has received on April 10 by Mulberry electronic system the application of Armenia’s president on determining the constitutionality of bill on making amendments in the Judicial Code.
The CC reports that the application has been submitted on April 12 and 30-day time is defined for the preliminary examination.
It has been reported earlier that President Armen Sarkissian applied to CC to determine the constitutionality of the amendments to the Judicial Code. According to the president, “the law contradicts the Constitution.”
Armenian President Objects To ‘Unconstitutional’ Bill On Courts
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President Armen Sarkissian has refused to sign into law a government-backed bill which Armenian opposition groups regard as a threat to judicial independence.
Sarkissian also asked Armenia’s Constitutional Court to rule on the legality of the package of amendments to several laws giving more powers to a state body that nominates judges and can sanction or fire them.
The amendments passed by the parliament late last month would empower the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) to intervene in trials by changing judges presiding over them or evaluating their fairness. They would also limit the number of petitions that can be filed by lawyers during court hearings. In addition, citizens would be allowed to file complaints to the SJC against judges dealing with their cases.
Judicial Code contradicts the Constitution, Armenia s President Armen Sarkissian applies to CC - aysor am aysor.am - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from aysor.am Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.