VIDEO: The Government Has No Intention to Free Itself from Tovmasyan, Avinyan Says

The government has no intention of freeing itself from Hrayr Tovmasyan. This was stated by Armenia's Deputy Prime Minister Tigran Avinyan in an interview with NEWS.am, responding to the Special Investigative Service's decision to launch a criminal case regarding the apparent usurpation of power by the President of the Constitutional Court, Hrayr Tovmasyan.

"I can only state that a criminal case has been initiated by the Special Investigative Service in connection with the issues indicated by the MP; I believe the investigation will show the course of events," he said.

In response to the question of whether this is yet another attempt to exert pressure on the higher court, the government representative replied, "When it comes to being a higher court, there should have been previous thoughts, appropriate attitudes, and respect for that court. If that were the case, we wouldn't have similar issues on our agenda today. Problems should be discussed appropriately, and I think the investigation will provide answers to these questions."

When asked whether the crisis surrounding the Constitutional Court is due to Hrayr Tovmasyan himself and if these processes would cease if he resigns, Avinyan answered, "I do not think the work of the institution is solely conditioned by one individual."

It should be noted that MP Arman Babajanyan had submitted a report to the Prosecutor General of the Republic of Armenia regarding an alleged crime of usurping state power by a group of officials. Based on this report, the decision was made to initiate a criminal case under the first part of Article 300 of the RA Criminal Code. Within the framework of the criminal case, investigators from the Special Investigative Service have conducted investigative actions at the Constitutional Court and the central office of the Republican Party of Armenia.

Arman Babajanyan insists that Hrayr Tovmasyan has illegally occupied the position of President of the Constitutional Court by employing criminal schemes.