Arpine Hovhannisyan Seeks Inclusion in Constitutional Reforms Expert Commission

Former Vice Speaker of the National Assembly of Armenia Arpine Hovhannisyan wrote on her Facebook page, "Today I have submitted an application to be included as a legal scholar in the Constitutional Reforms Expert Commission. As it is known, legal scholars who have seven years of professional experience can be members of the commission, particularly those holding a PhD or candidates who have significant experience relating to the constitutional reform process.

I especially wish to highlight my experience in the area of constitutional reforms. Specifically:

• From 2015 to 2017, during one of the most responsible periods of implementing the constitutional reforms of 2015, I served as the Minister of Justice of Armenia. I had the honor of coordinating the development and presentation of the laws arising from constitutional changes, and in cases of key laws, I was also the primary speaker in the National Assembly.
• Throughout the constitutional reforms, I actively collaborated with our international partners from the UN to the Venice Commission, presenting reports on draft constitutional laws including at plenary sessions of the Venice Commission (Electoral Code, Law on Political Parties, etc.).
• Since May 2017, as the Vice Speaker of the National Assembly and a member of the Permanent Commission on State-Legal Affairs and Protection of Human Rights, I have continued to work on legislative packages related to constitutional reforms, also collaborating with international organizations. This is the reason I received invitations to participate in the sessions of the Venice Commission while already occupying the role of Vice Speaker (My activities during this period are documented in relevant decisions, minutes, and other documents).

It is no secret that I often have opinions that differ from those of the authorities and I am a dissenting voice to the government. I submitted this application with the conviction that:

• In the marketplace of ideas, truth is born from the free competition of ideas, and the public transparent competition and circulation of ideas and ideologies. This has been the fundamental and primary reason for my steps to be included in the commission.
• As a lawyer and a citizen of Armenia, it is extremely important for me that any provision of the country’s fundamental law be subject to multifaceted, and sometimes heated discussions.
• The aforementioned experience in the field of constitutional reforms (I should note that in some cases, I have disagreed with specific regulations) has given me a unique opportunity to be fully informed detail by detail about the essence of the legislative acts arising from the 2015 constitutional reforms, the details of the numerous discussions preceding the adoption of those legislative acts, and the ideology underlying each specific constitutional provision. I believe this factor can be of significant importance.
• In response to the frequently presented criticisms, the authorities often argue that the criticisms are unconstructive and observations made from afar; however, if, for example, these are conducted differently, they are always ready to listen and discuss. Thus, this is an opportunity for the authorities to show that they are ready for discussions and willing to listen to those with different views. I am ready to hear you, are you?

P.S. I am confident that the legal scholars who have applied for membership in the commission are professionals, but I believe that particularly for the functioning of this commission, experience in the constitutional reform process should be of primary importance.