Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on Tuesday explained his administration’s push for adopting a new constitution, saying that the public does not perceive the current constitution as having been adopted by them and continues to question the legitimacy of previous referendums.

He highlighted the importance of establishing an “organic link” between the citizen and the legal order.

“Why is the adoption of a new Constitution important for us? Because in the relationship between the state and the citizen in our country, there is a certain persistent tension,” he said in a video address presenting the ruling Civil Contract party’s election program.

“One of the reasons for this tension is that citizens of the Republic of Armenia do not perceive the legal order established in the country as something established by themselves. Not only is there no such perception, but this is also a reality, because in Armenia the results of all constitutional referendums have always been called into question.

I have personally covered constitutional referendums in the past as a journalist, and we have witnessed all of them during various political processes. The persistent perception that the results of constitutional referendums are falsified creates tension and a disconnect between the citizen and the legal order. For us, it is extremely important to establish an organic link between the citizen and the legal order, and that organic link is formed through the adoption of the Constitution by referendum,” Pashinyan said.

The most recent constitutional referendum for amendments in Armenia took place in 2015 during the tenure of President Serzh Sargsyan, who was ousted by Pashinyan-led demonstrations in 2018.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan reiterated that the newly proposed Constitution, which his administration seeks to put to a referendum, shall not contain a reference to the Declaration of Independence, unlike the current one.

The current constitution contains a reference to the Declaration of Independence in its preamble. Pashinyan earlier said that the Declaration of Independence, which mentions Karabakh, is structured around a logic of conflict.

“I know there are many discussions on this issue, particularly about whether the text of the new Constitution should include a reference to the Declaration of Independence of the Republic of Armenia. I have clearly stated my position on this matter, saying that the new Constitution should not contain a reference to the Declaration of Independence. And what is the reasoning behind this? It is very simple.

Yesterday I also spoke about, and in recent years I have consistently spoken about, the need not to continue the Karabakh movement. If we adopt a new Constitution today and its preamble includes a reference to the Declaration of Independence, that would mean we are continuing the Karabakh movement. If we continue the Karabakh movement, that means we are resuming the conflict with Azerbaijan; and if we resume the conflict with Azerbaijan, that means peace will not be possible.

If we refer to the Declaration of Independence, it also means that we are adopting the narrative of ‘Western Armenia,’ and indirectly adopting the narrative of ‘Armenia from sea to sea.’

The nuance here is this: if we adopt those narratives, we effectively rule out, for example, ending the narratives of ‘Western Azerbaijan’ and ‘Eastern Turkey,’” said Nikol Pashinyan, while presenting the Civil Contract party’s election program.

“Now, in Armenia’s domestic political life, there is also much discussion, and it is being said that this is a demand of Azerbaijan and Türkiye. I say: let us ask ourselves—do we want this or not, dear citizens of the Republic of Armenia?

I have clearly stated that we should not continue the Karabakh movement; we must end the Karabakh movement. That is, today in Armenia the Karabakh movement is already discontinued—at least at the official and public levels. Armenia is a democratic state, and if the citizens of the Republic of Armenia decide otherwise, naturally I, as the Prime Minister of Armenia, and the Civil Contract party will take that decision into account.

There is no subject for debate here; we have never questioned, and will never question, the people’s right to decide anything. But we are also obliged, as a political force with a mandate from the citizens of Armenia, to present the political content—or our understanding of that content—that we have formed through experience, including over the past eight years of our activity,” said Nikol Pashinyan.

“This observation becomes more substantiated with each passing day, because the success of the ‘tripartite war party’ in elections would mean the continuation of the Karabakh movement, with all the consequences that would follow from it,” the Prime Minister said, referring to the parties led by Samvel Karapetyan, former President Robert Kocharyan, and Gagik Tsarukyan, whom he describes as a “tripartite war party.”

Pashinyan highlighted that the Civil Contract party is the only political force that clearly speaks about the need to abandon the abovementioned narratives. 

“Moreover, we are clearly saying: dear people, if we do this half-heartedly or just for show, it will not work. We must clearly and sincerely focus on the ideology of ‘Real Armenia.’ Our ideology is that we must concentrate on the internationally recognized sovereign territory of the Republic of Armenia and on ensuring the security and well-being of the citizens of Armenia,” Nikol Pashinyan explained.

He emphasized that, based on the results of the upcoming elections in Armenia, a historical-political revolution is expected, as in his contacts with citizens he feels that the “Real Armenia” ideology is being understood by the Armenian people.

“If the ideology of ‘Real Armenia’ were not understood by the people of Armenia, I would not be Prime Minister today, because in 2024, if I am not mistaken, I said that as Prime Minister of Armenia I have decided that we will not continue the Karabakh movement, and if the people disagree with this decision, I call on them to go out, carry out a revolution, and remove me from the office of Prime Minister.

The citizens of Armenia also have that opportunity in the upcoming elections. But they also have the opportunity to carry out this historical-political revolution by focusing on the interests of our sovereign state and acting exclusively in accordance with those interests—that is, the security, prosperity, and peace of the citizens of Armenia. This is a historic choice, because for the first time in centuries we have the opportunity not to outsource our interests to others so that they, in turn, use those interests for their own purposes while sacrificing us. We have the opportunity to focus, to confront our problems, and to reach agreements in our own environment…

The end of the Karabakh movement also means the end of the narrative of ‘Western Azerbaijan’ and similar narratives. And this is a historic opportunity for everyone—not only for Armenia, but also for the region. When we make this proposal, no one can reject it—neither in the region nor in the world—because it is a legitimate proposal, grounded in legitimacy,” said Nikol Pashinyan.

Pashinyan has spoken about the need to adopt a new constitution for many years, since his early years in office. He argues that the current constitution—with its most recent amendments made in 2015—lacks any “organic link” with the people, since the legitimacy of the referendums is questioned.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has said that the adoption of a new constitution is needed, among other things, for effectively tackling the “criminal subculture.”

In a video message presenting the Civil Contract party’s election program, he said that an effective fight against the criminal subculture is a vital necessity for the future development of Armenia.

Criminal subculture—the so-called hierarchy-based code of conduct among criminals, originally believed to have emerged in the notorious Soviet prisons and linked to the self-styled “thieves in law,” and later spread into society as a mostly denounced street-code mentality—has been outlawed in Armenia amid anti-mafia efforts. Some criminal subculture-related hazing incidents have reportedly taken place in the military.

Pashinyan emphasized that the destructive influence of the criminal subculture in the country has not been sufficiently recognized and that, in its essence, it is an “anti-social, anti-state, and anti-human subculture.”

“Combating it should first of all be carried out through educational and civilizational tools, but the law enforcement system must also increasingly focus on improving the effectiveness of practical efforts against this problem,” Pashinyan noted.

The Prime Minister stressed that the criminal subculture is the cause of many of today’s problems. “Including when we think about many undesirable phenomena in the country, we see that these phenomena are directly linked to the criminal subculture, including certain distortions in relations within the army and certain distortions in public relations among young people. Of course, we understand that the establishment of the state and state institutions is of great importance and essential for solving this problem. Here too, the adoption of a new Constitution is very important, because, in essence, the ideological basis of the criminal subculture is resistance to the state, the state order, and legality. Many do not notice this nuance. In the criminal subculture, stealing is considered normal at all levels. For the criminal subculture, stealing from a person, from the state, or from a friend is considered normal. Whereas the legal order—the Constitution—on the contrary, says that stealing is not allowed and must lead to accountability,” Pashinyan said.

The Prime Minister then talked about what he described as a ‘historical gap’ in today’s reality.

“That historical gap is about the following. The historical experience of our last centuries tells us that others have set the rules of how we live for us. And we have not yet overcome this historical memory and impression. Why? Because we have not recorded—and it has not happened—that in the Republic of Armenia the people are the source of the creation of the legal order. Our historical memory tells us the following: the Persian Empire imposed certain rules of living on us. Then the Ottoman Empire imposed certain rules of living on us, then the Russian Empire imposed certain rules of living on us, then the Soviet Empire imposed certain rules of living on us. In the case of the Republic of Armenia, something different happened. A group of people gathered and wrote the text of the Constitution, then organized a referendum, where as a result of the referendum the Constitution did not receive the necessary number of votes from the people, but it was still declared adopted. It turned out that again others set the rules of living for us. And it is also in this political situation that it becomes impossible in Armenia to eliminate or remove the criminal subculture, or at least bring it to a level where it is not noticeable. Why? Because the legal order established by others has not received legitimacy from the people, and those “others” in this case are from the Armenian reality itself. Therefore, resistance to that legal order takes on a certain acceptance in our society and reality in the form of a criminal subculture. Resistance to the legal order is perceived as a sign of strength, just as, for example, it was perceived in the Ottoman Empire—at a subconscious level. These are very serious problems. And in many cases we do not see the direct connection between our state and public problems and the criminal subculture, but I think it is time for us to confront this issue,” said the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia.

Pashinyan emphasized that the criminal subculture is mainly attractive to young men as the main target group. “For me, in Armenia, one phenomenon is obvious: in all spheres of public life, girls and women are visibly becoming more competitive. Of course, I am very glad that the role of women in Armenia is increasing, and that women’s competitiveness in education and all other fields is increasing, but the issue here is that the competitive position of boys is being undermined primarily by the criminal subculture, when certain obstacles and barriers are created, including under its influence, between education and boys, and between the legal order and boys. This is a very serious problem that we must confront and overcome. And here too, I see the solutions at the subconscious and socio-psychological level in the adoption of a new Constitution,” the Prime Minister concluded.

Pashinyan has spoken about the need to adopt a new constitution for many years, since his early years in office. He argues that the current constitution—with its most recent amendments made in 2015—lacks any “organic link” with the people, since the legitimacy of the referendums is questioned.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan received Kevin Hamilton, the NATO Secretary General’s Special Representative for the Caucasus and Central Asia.

PM Pashinyan congratulated Hamilton on assuming office and emphasized the importance of Armenia–NATO cooperation and close dialogue aimed at strengthening security and stability in the region, according to a readout from the Prime Minister’s Office.

The Prime Minister and the NATO envoy discussed a number of issues related to the Armenia–NATO partnership agenda.

In particular, they referred to prospects for the development of cooperation, as well as the effective implementation of programs in areas of mutual interest.

Prime Minister Pashinyan spoke about the progress of democratic reforms being implemented by the Government of Armenia and stressed the importance of consistent cooperation with international partners in developing institutional capacities and strengthening the country’s resilience.

During the meeting, views were also exchanged on the regional security environment, existing challenges, as well as efforts aimed at ensuring peace and stability.

Special Representative Hamilton noted that NATO values its partnership with Armenia and is ready to continue cooperation in areas of mutual interest.

Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan received a delegation led by Gilbert-Luc Devinaz, Chairman of the Armenia–France Friendship Group of the French Senate, the Prime Minister’s Office said in a readout.

Pashinyan welcomed the delegation’s visit to Armenia and highly appreciated the consistent support of the France–Armenia Friendship Group.

The Prime Minister emphasized the importance of further developing bilateral relations, noting that significant events are expected in this direction in the near future. He added that Armenia appreciates France’s support at all levels.

Devinaz noted that high-level relations have been established between the parliaments of France and Armenia. He added that, in contrast to the tensions of previous years, peace now prevails in Armenia, emphasizing the role of Prime Minister Pashinyan and the steps aimed at establishing and strengthening peace.

The sides discussed the development of Armenia–France cooperation in various fields, particularly in energy, agriculture, and education.

They also touched upon issues related to regional developments.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan will attend Citizen’s Day events in Yerevan on April 25.

In a Facebook video message, he said a public “barbecue party” will be held on Amiryan Street at 1:00 p.m., followed by a concert at Republic Square at 8:00 p.m. He noted he will participate and invited citizens to join.

Armenian Minister of Environment Hambardzum Matevosyan will participate in the upcoming G7 Environment Ministers’ Meeting in Paris at the invitation of Monique Barbut, the French Minister of Ecological Transition, Biodiversity, and Climate and Nature Negotiations.

The Ministry of Environment said in a press release that the purpose of the meeting is to strengthen political dialogue among member states and align approaches in the fields of climate change and environmental protection.

The discussions will focus on climate action, the energy transition, biodiversity conservation, and reducing environmental impacts.

The visit will also address issues such as desertification, land degradation, water and marine resource management, as well as the fight against illegal fishing.

The outcomes of the meeting are expected to help shape common positions that will contribute to the decisions to be adopted at the G7 summit, as well as to the advancement of global biodiversity goals within the framework of COP17, which will be hosted by Armenia this year.

Deputy Prime Minister Tigran Khachatryan held a meeting with the Ambassador of France to Armenia, Olivier Decottignies.

The Deputy Prime Minister highlighted the importance of French President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to Armenia for the May 4 European Political Community Summit, as well as his state visit scheduled for the following day. 

According to a readout of the Deputy Prime Minister’s meeting, ahead of the visit, a detailed discussion was held on a number of items on the bilateral agenda, including French involvement in drinking water supply and wastewater management, the construction of the Sisian–Kajaran section of the North–South Road Corridor, educational cooperation, as well as other strategic projects and initiatives.

Both sides emphasized the importance of the established constructive cooperation, with the aim of effectively addressing issues requiring coordination within this framework and ensuring the continued expansion of bilateral relations.

Armenian Speaker of Parliament Alen Simonyan has received a French Senate delegation led by Senator Gilbert-Luc Devinaz, the Chairman of the France–Armenia Friendship Group of the upper house of the French Parliament.

According to a readout from the parliament’s press service, while welcoming the French delegation’s visit to Armenia, the Speaker emphasized the importance of organizing such mutual visits for the development of bilateral ties.

The discussion focused on interparliamentary cooperation, bilateral relations, Armenia–EU relations, the established peace process between Armenia and Azerbaijan, as well as regional developments.

“Alen Simonyan drew the attention of the delegation of the Senate of the French Republic to the issue of Armenian captives and detainees held in Azerbaijan, as well as those considered missing,” the readout said.

Speaker of Parliament Alen Simonyan received NATO Secretary General’s Special Representative for the Caucasus and Central Asia Kevin Hamilton on Tuesday in Yerevan.

According to a readout from the parliament’s press service, Speaker Simonyan congratulated Hamilton on assuming office, “expressing confidence that Armenia–NATO relations will enter a new stage of development during his tenure.”

Simonyan and Special Representative Hamilton “discussed various issues related to Armenia–NATO cooperation, jointly implemented programs, as well as regional developments.”