Thursday, 

Pashinian Again Defends Government’s Record

        • Astghik Bedevian

Armenia -- Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian holds a booklet listing his 
government's achievements during a parliament session in Yerevan, .

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian insisted on Thursday that his government 
performed “brilliantly” after taking office as a result of last spring’s 
“velvet revolution” in Armenia.

Pashinian argued that despite political upheavals in the country the Armenian 
economy grew by 5.2 percent last year and beat a 4.5 percent growth forecast 
that had been set by the former government. He also said the new government 
managed to meet revenue and spending targets set by the 2018 state budget.

“Macroeconomic stability was ensured in full,” Pashinian told the Armenian 
government. “If we look at things in this sense, we can say that the government 
did its job brilliantly because in the context of these political shocks it 
fully ensured the normal life of the Republic of Armenia.”

He spoke as the parliament dominated by the ruling My Step alliance debated and 
approved a government report on the execution of the 2018 budget.

Pashinian similarly defended his and his government’s track record at a May 8 
news conference held on the first anniversary of his election as prime 
minister. In particular, he claimed to be already delivering on his repeated 
pledges to carry out an “economic revolution” that will significantly boost 
living standards in Armenia.

Pashinian’s political opponents and other critics take a dim view of his 
tenure, however. They say that he has failed to improve the socioeconomic 
situation in the country.

Deputies from the opposition Prosperous Armenia Party (BHK) voted against the 
government report. One of them, Gevorg Petrosian, criticized the government’s 
economic policies.

Bright Armenia (LHK), the other opposition party represented in the National 
Assembly, voted for the document presented by Pashinian. Still, LHK leader 
Edmon Marukian said that the government has not fulfilled some of its promises.

“Could the [government’s] results have been much better?” said Marukian. “I do 
think that they could if the government had been a bit more responsive and 
cooperative.”

In his speech, Pashinian also put an optimistic spin on ongoing economic 
developments in Armenia. “I think that everyone’s mood must be good because 
issues are being solved in Armenia,” he said.




Government Wants Much Higher Pay For Armenian Judges

        • Astghik Bedevian

Armenia - A courtroom in Yerevan, 8Jun2017.

International donors have agreed to finance a sharp increase in the salaries of 
Armenia’s judges sought by the Armenian government, Prime Minister Nikol 
Pashinian said on Thursday.

Pashinian said that a roughly fivefold pay rise is vital for reforming Armenian 
courts and making them independent and free from corruption.

He argued that judges are no longer able to take bribes or engage in business 
en masse and have to live off their current salaries ranging from 400,000 to 
600,000 drams ($830-$1,250) per month. These wages also discourage well-paid 
lawyers working for private firms from seeking to take the bench, he said.

“Our partners, international donors will support Armenia on this issue,” 
Pashinian told the parliament. “For two or three years we will be able to keep 
these high salaries of the current judges and new judges at between 2.5 million 
and 3 million drams ($5,200-$6,200). That will have no direct impact on our 
state budget.”

“In the meantime, the opposition, government, civil society and the public will 
see that it’s good to have an independent judicial system,” he said, adding 
that the favorable public opinion will then allow the government to finance the 
much higher wages from the state budget.

Pashinian did not specify which international organizations or foreign 
governments are ready to allocate such funding for the 229 judges of various 
Armenian courts.

Both the European Union and the Council of Europe have expressed readiness to 
assist in sweeping judicial reforms planned by Pashinian’s government. They 
have stressed that the reforms must conform to Armenia’s constitution and 
international commitments.

Pashinian last month called for a mandatory vetting of all judges after a court 
in Yerevan released from prison his bitter foe and former President Robert 
Kocharian, who is facing serious criminal charges. The premier insisted that he 
wants to make the judicial system “truly independent.” His critics claim he is 
on the contrary seeking to gain control over the courts.




New Judge Stakes Claim To Constitutional Court Chairmanship

        • Gayane Saribekian

Armenia -- Constitutional Court nominee Vahe Grigorian speaks in the Armenian 
parliament, Yerevan, June 18, 2019.

Vahe Grigorian, a newly elected Constitutional Court judge, declared on 
Thursday that he can now also act as chairman of Armenia’s highest court.

Grigorian challenged the legitimacy of Hrayr Tovmasian, the court chairman 
since March 2018, and six other members of the nine-strong body as he was sworn 
in during a session of the Armenian parliament, which elected him on Tuesday.

Addressing lawmakers, Grigorian argued that under constitutional amendments 
which took effect last year the Constitutional Court now consists of “judges,” 
rather than “members,” as was the case until then. He said that only he and 
Arman Dilanian, who was elected by the parliament last year, can therefore 
serve as judges and make decisions.

“The Constitutional Court comprises solely judges and only judges take part in 
its decision making,” Grigorian said, suggesting that the six other officials 
have no such authority.

Grigorian added that since Dilanian is absent from Armenia at the moment he is 
single-handedly “taking over the powers and duties of the Constitutional Court 
chairman.”

The statement clearly took many lawmakers by surprise. Vladimir Hakobian, the 
chairman of the parliament committee on legal affairs, pointedly declined to 
comment on it.

But Nikolay Baghdasarian, another pro-government parliamentarian, effectively 
backed Grigorian’s claims.

“My view is that after hearing Vahe Grigorian’s speech Hrayr Tovmasian must not 
go to work tomorrow morning because he realized that he is no longer the 
chairman of the Constitutional Court,” said Baghdasarian.

But Edmon Marukian, the leader of the opposition Bright Armenia Party, 
disagreed with this interpretation of the amended constitution. He said the 
amendments cannot have a retroactive impact on Tovmasian and the six other 
court members.

The latter did not immediately react to Grigorian’s declaration. The 
Constitutional Court’s updated website on Thursday continued to refer to 
Tovmasian as the chairman of the court.

Grigorian’s appointment to a vacant seat in the court was backed by 99 
lawmakers and opposed by 22 others in secret ballot. Some opposition lawmakers 
questioned Grigorian’s impartiality, citing his warm relations with the 
country’s current leadership. The nominee admitted having “friends” in the 
ruling My Step alliance but insisted that this fact will not influence his 
judicial activities.




Press Review


According to “Zhamanak,” Finance Minister Atom Janjughazian has revealed that 
the Armenian government can borrow as much as $1.5 billion in fresh foreign 
loans.

“Zhoghovurd” says that the current Armenian government has already managed to 
solve problems that had for decades been ignored by the previous authorities. 
In particular, the paper says, the government has made it mandatory for all gas 
stations operating in Armenia to open public toilets for travellers. “There are 
many thorny issues in other areas which need a solution,” it says. “For many 
years they were not solved because of logistical ineptness or inactivity.”

“Aravot” says that the head of Russia’s External Intelligence Service, Sergey 
Naryshkin, has spoken out against LGBT rights and called for a strong defense 
of “traditional values” at a meeting of fellow security officials from various 
parts of the world. “This means that it is a reflection of the country’s 
policy, rather the opinion of a private individual or an organization,” writes 
the paper. “Russia’s concern is not about those phenomena but a resulting 
decline of the state’s authority and the danger of color revolutions which 
Naryshkin talked about … The state’s authority declines not because of 
conspiracies hatched by [U.S. billionaire George] Soros or LGBT people but 
because of the abusive behavior and extreme corruption of rulers. Color and 
other revolutions happen for the same reason.”

According to “Zhamanak,” Finance Minister Atom Janjughazian has revealed that 
the Armenian government can borrow as much as $1.5 billion in fresh foreign 
loans. “Janjughazian sees nothing tragic about the fact that Armenia’s foreign 
debt could reach 60 percent of GDP,” writes the paper. “The question is how 
efficiently the state uses and spends loans and to what extent that contributes 
to development, instead of merely ensuring subsistence.” It notes that 
Armenia’s foreign debt has already doubled in the past decade.

(Lilit Harutiunian)


Reprinted on ANN/Armenian News with permission from RFE/RL
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