Ararat Mirzoyan Tends to Withdraw from Candidacy for the Position of CPP Board Member or National Assembly President

“I believe Mr. Zeynalayan will have the opportunity to serve the Republic of Armenia. There might be a new proposal,” said Ararat Mirzoyan.

When asked by Tert.am whether any issues have been discussed in the party related to the current president of the CPP Board, Sasun Mikayelyan, given that the Kotayk governor noted that Mikayelyan did not support the CPP candidate in the Abovyan elections, Mirzoyan replied: “I do not possess such information.”

Regarding the fact that Gagik Tsarukyan did not appear for questioning, the National Assembly President noted: “I have great hope that Mr. Tsarukyan, like all citizens of Armenia who receive a notification, will present himself at the location indicated in the notification. All citizens are equal before the law, including myself and Mr. Tsarukyan. He has not done well, but I hope that he will go.”

Gagik Tsarukyan had classified the summons for questioning as offensive. Commenting on this statement from the leader of the Prosperous Armenia Party, Ararat Mirzoyan stated: “I do not agree with his position and I hope that Mr. Tsarukyan will reconsider his approach.”

The resignations of members of the Supreme Judicial Council, according to the National Assembly President, are due to public demand. “After the general meeting of judges, this body was directly accused of inaction. A very healthy discussion started among the representatives of the judicial authority, and I welcome this self-critical approach. Essentially, people are responding to public demands,” he said.

In response to a question from Tert.am regarding criticisms surrounding the nomination of Vahe Grigoryan as a Constitutional Court judge, suggesting that the ruling force is pushing its preferred candidate and rendering the institution of presidency formal, Mirzoyan responded: “It is a very normal process when the president nominates candidates, and the National Assembly accepts or rejects them. That is how it is meant to be.”

Addressing the observation that the key decisions of the Constitutional Court are the reason the government wants to have its own in the body, Ararat Mirzoyan noted: “I believe that a superficial reading of the Constitution will give us all a very clear picture of how important the Constitutional Court is in the life of our state, in terms of balancing institutions. Unfortunately, over the decades, we have seen a situation where the Constitutional Court has not been at its supposed height. Of course, this has created a crisis around the Constitutional Court institution, and this situation needs to be corrected. There are opinions that the Constitutional Court should also change, and then the members of the Constitutional Court should understand this message from the public.”

The National Assembly President does not exclude the possibility that recently resigned Minister of Justice Artak Zeynalayan might be entrusted with another position. “I consider Zeynalayan a good friend, our companion. I think it is too early to talk about Artak Zeynalayan stepping out of the most active and leadership role in the country’s political and legal life. There might be a new proposal. I believe Mr. Zeynalayan will have the opportunity to serve the Republic of Armenia,” he added.