Armenia’s authorities accountable only to their voters: NA Vice-Chairman on not applying to the Venice Commission

“The authorities of the Republic of Armenia are accountable only to the people who voted for them. If the Armenian authorities find it expedient and right in legal regard, to apply to the Venice Commission or any other body for advisory opinion, we will do it. In the rest cases we are accountable to the people,” Vice-Chairman of Armenia’s National Assembly Alen Simonyan told the reporters, confirming that the authorities have not applied to the Venice Commission for an opinion over the package of bills on constitutional amendments. 

As to whether the authorities asked the opinion of the people, Simonyan said, “Yes, when the list of the NA deputies was put for voting, when they voted for the program of the ruling party.”

To the clarifying question, whether the people’s opinion over the bill is taken into consideration, the Vice-Chairman said, “People of Armenia voted for us to solve the existing situation in Armenia, in all the branches, to solve the crisis existing in the judicial power, which is being fixed and confirmed by all the sides. This is also a reason why we have received the mandate. I repeat, in very near future the situation created in Armenia’s judicial system will be completely resolved. The judicial power is the last bastion of the former authorities. We have liberated other two branches of the power, and I think we will bring this process to the end this year and will finally forget everything that happened during the past 30 years.”