Mirzoyan: Changes to Our or Their Constitutions Are Not Part of Armenia-Azerbaijan Negotiations Agenda

In general, the constitutions of Armenia and Azerbaijan cannot be the legal issue for establishing long-term peace. This was stated today by Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan while presenting the execution of the 2023 budget in parliamentary committees.

"Changes to our or their Constitution are not part of the Armenia-Azerbaijan negotiations agenda," said the foreign minister, assuring that the issue of constitutional amendment is a matter of internal decision for Armenia.

Responding to opposition MP Armen Rustamyan's remark that Armenia's budget anticipates expenses aimed at meeting Azerbaijan's demands, Mirzoyan stated that the MP is mistaken.

Prime Minister Pashinyan spoke about the need for a new Constitution on January 19, asserting that Armenia requires a new Constitution, not merely constitutional amendments. "We need to have a Constitution that makes the Republic of Armenia more competitive and more viable under geopolitical and regional new conditions," declared the head of the executive branch.

About ten days after this statement, Baku insisted that from the very beginning of the discussions regarding the peace agreement draft, it called on the Armenian side to "put an end to the infringements on Azerbaijan's territorial integrity and sovereignty, which are present in the Constitution, various laws, and decisions." In the preamble of Armenia's Constitution, there is a reference to the Declaration of Independence, which mentions the reunification of Artsakh and Armenia. The opposition is convinced that Baku is demanding the removal of this provision from Armenia's fundamental law.