Armenian president: People and political forces are transient

Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan sent a message to the participants of the 19th international conference on constitutional justice issues held in Yerevan, according to the presidential press service. The message reads in particular:

“I am very glad that famous experts on constitutional law from over 20 countries arrived in Armenia to discuss a problem of utmost importance – the constitutional status of human dignity.

I am also happy that the Yerevan conference dedicated to constitutional justice issues has become a good tradition and gained international significance.

I want to stress the importance of the theme of the current conference and its direct connection with guaranteeing the constitutional principle of the rule of law.

Almost 20-year contemporary history of the constitutional development in Armenia also shows that there is no alternative to guaranteeing the rule of law for the establishment of a legal democratic state. These guarantees cannot be only a kind wish, but require adequate constitutional solutions, a harmonious and efficient legal system, efficient mechanisms, and an appropriate environment of legal thinking and legal culture.

This cannot be done easily and at once. One can expect success only when guaranteeing the rule of law becomes an important issue of the state policy agenda and a driving force of political thinking, when human dignity is an inseparable and guaranteed concomitant of its social manifestations.

For us, the problem under discussion is especially important, given the fact that the Republic of Armenia has undertaken important constitutional reforms. A few days ago a special commission presented the concept of constitutional reforms. It was also discussed and approved at a plenary session of the Council of Europe’s Venice Commission, and a phase of political debates will start soon.

It is hard for a system, which has withstood great trials and has been drastically reconstructed in the past 20-25 years, to say that democracy is on a desirable solid basis, human rights are secured and protected, and there is an efficient justice system brought in line with legal state criteria. This can be achieved by guaranteeing adequate constitutional development and drawing correct lessons from experience of the international community and especially countries of new democracy. I had an occasion to say “People, political forces, and momentary interests are transient, while the Constitution is intended for generations”. The Constitution that will have a stable and unshakeable system of values and such a social environment where these values become a reality for the country and people”.