Centrist Democrat International warns Armenian authorities against sliding into a path of authoritarianism

The Executive Committee of the CDI (Centrist Democrat International) adopted at its session on January 23 in Indonesian Yogyakarta a resolution on the political situation in Armenia.

The resolution refers to the democratic issues in Armenia, expresses its concerns by the intimidation and a criminal case against the Chairman of the Constitutional Court Hrayr Tovmasyan, calls on the Armenian authorities to fully respect the independence of the judiciary and to refrain from influencing on judicial decisions and making any political instrumentalization of them.

The resolution has been authored and presented by the Republican Party of Armenia.

The Centrist Democrat International is a Christian democratic political international. Until 2001, it was known as the Christian Democrat International (CDI) and before 1999 as the Christian Democrat and People's Parties International. It was formed in 1961 in Santiago, Chile, as the Christian Democrat World Union.

The CDI's European division is the European People's Party, currently the largest European political party. 

Below is the full resolution:

Resolution about the political situation in Armenia

• Underlining the importance of the wide and comprehensive political dialogue and inclusive political environment in the framework of Constitutional order of Armenia;

• Stressing that the plurality of information, freedom of the media, political competition, rule of law, justice and democracy are the main principles and values of a democratic society and are key to the success of Armenian statehood-building;

• Noting the worrisome continuation of politically motivated abuses of state influence on opposition and governmental opponents.

The IDC-CDI:
• Warns Armenian government on sliding into a path of authoritarianism and alarms that abusing the public pressure in order to negatively shift the system of checks and balances in favor of the ruling party would be a big step backwards;

• Calls on the Armenian authorities to fully respect the independence of the judiciary and to refrain from influencing on judicial decisions and making any political instrumentalization of them;

• Expresses serious concerns over the Armenian judiciary system becoming a tool of retribution against political opponents in the hands of the authorities;

• Calls upon the government of Armenia to reverse these trends and concentrate on the country’s future, insisting that failing to reverse these trends will seriously harm Armenia and its progress in moving towards the European family of nations.

• Reminds Armenian authority of the importance of an effective implementation of Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Armenia;

• Expresses its concerns by the intimidation and a criminal case against the Chair of the Constitutional Court Mr. Tovmasyan. The constitutional order and rule of law must be guaranteed.

The IDC-CDI will continue to closely monitor and support the democratic process of Armenia for the benefit of its citizens.