Prosperous Armenia, the largest opposition faction in the Armenian National Assembly, will not take part in a special parliament session which “lays the foundation for a constitutional coup”, MP Naira Zohrabyan told reporters on Monday.
Lawmakers are today set to debate draft constitutional amendments seeking to replace the current judges of the Constitutional Court.
Zohrabyan stressed all participants of the emergency session will bear “legal and political liability”.
Another Prosperous Armenia MP Mikayel Melkumyan referred to the advisory opinion of the Venice Commission on the legislative initiative, stating it opposes the Armenian authorities’ plan for abrupt and immediate replacements of the judges and calls for a gradual change in the composition of the top court in order to avoid any “encroachments” on the independence of this institution.
“Why have you requested the Venice Commission for an opinion if you are not going to take it into account?” the lawmaker said.
Earlier on Monday, the opposition Bright Armenia faction, too, announced its decision to boycott the debates on the “unconstitutional” draft amendments.