Government-backed candidate for high court justice opts out

YEREVAN, AUGUST 17, ARMENPRESS. A government-backed candidate for Constitutional Court judge has withdrawn his candidacy.

Vahram Avetisyan, the Head of the Chair of Civil Law at the Yerevan State University, who was named by the government in July as a candidate for a vacant seat of Constitutional Court judge, said in a statement he finds it unrealistic to get 80 votes in parliament and he considers participating in the future process of the election to be “inexpedient”.

He said he has formally submitted the withdrawal request to Speaker of Parliament Ararat Mirzoyan.

“At the same time I thank the Government for nominating my candidacy for Constitutional Court judge, and I wish success to the judiciary reforms in Armenia for the benefit of our citizens and our country,” Avetisyan said in a statement.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan