Arpine Hovhanisyan denied inclusion to constitutional reforms commission due to 'political decision'

YEREVAN, JANUARY 30, ARMENPRESS. Former Deputy Speaker of Parliament Arpine Hovhannisyan has been denied inclusion into the Specialized Commission for Constitutional Reforms due to a “political decision”, Minister of Justice Rustam Badasyan told reporters.

“Lawyer-academicians and representatives of NGOs have been elected to the commission. We appreciate Arpine Hovhannisyan’s sincere motivations that she is ready to help. I am not questioning Arpine Hovhannisyan’s professional skills, but I have to note that the persons included in the commission do not have political affiliations,” Rustam Badasyan said.

Hovhannisyan served as Justice Minister from 2015 to 2017.

Badasyan said they didn’t whatsoever have any objective of selecting oppositionist or pro-governmental candidates to the commission.

“She was involved in the 2015 constitutional amendments works, and this was mentioned in her application, which in itself can’t deserve positive assessment. Having participated in those works in 2015 couldn’t have been considered a positive thing in the selection of this phase, but I have noted that Ms. Hovhannisyan is willing to help us with sincere motives, we will not refuse from that help,” Justice Minister Rustam Badasyan said.

On January 29, the Ministry of Justice released the results of the selection of members of the Specialized Commission of Constitutional Reforms. The Justice Ministry selected lawyer-academics Anahit Manasyan, Artur Ghambaryan, Armen Mazmanyan, Arsen Tavadyan, Levon Gevorgyan and Tigran Markosyan; NGO representatives Karen Zadoyan (Armenian Association of Lawyers) and Daniel Ioannisyan (Union of Informed Citizens).

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan