I am not the one to decide who to work with: CC chairman on discussions over CC judge candidate

The desirable candidates in the post of the judge of the Constitutional Court are those who correspond to the demands of the Constitution, Chairman of the Armenian Constitutional Court Hrayr Tovmasyan told the reporters today, adding that they must be over 40 with higher legal education.

“I am not the one to decide who to work with, it is being decided by the Armenian president, government, General Assembly of Judges and they finally are being elected by the National Assembly,” CC chairman said, asked whether he has a favorite candidate.

Speaking about the created situation and the disputable ‘new candidate’ term in the law about the Constitutional Court, Tovmasyan said that the law has one good provision which states that it is necessary to refrain from publicly expressing opinion over all the acts that may ever become subject for examination by the CC.

“I have followed the discussions, I have my opinion, but it is just my opinion, not the court’s. But if I express it now, it may be perceived as a biased attitude toward the situation,” Tovmasyan stressed.

Recently hot discussions were elaborating in the NA over the Article 4 of the law about the Constitutional Court, according to which if new CC judge is not elected, the authorized body again nominates new candidate for the post in one-month time.

According to some claims, this change is being made to give well-known lawyer Vahe Grigoryan another chance to be nominated in the post.