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The Ministry of Justice of Armenia has denied a publication by Turkish media outlet OdaTV claiming that Armenia is preparing to withdraw from its Constitution, calling the report false and misleading.In a statement, the ministry said the article published by OdaTV, which alleged that a 'historic decision' would be made and that the 'Armenian people' would withdraw from the Constitution, “does not correspond to reality."
"Without addressing each point of the publication separately, we inform you that this report regarding the new Constitution is completely false and does not reflect reality. The information presented completely distorts the possible amendments to the Constitution,” the statement said.
The ministry stressed that the process of developing a new Constitution is being carried out exclusively by the Ministry of Justice and clarified the current stage of constitutional reforms.
According to the statement, the Constitutional Reform Council is currently operating and includes representatives of the legislative, executive and judicial branches, extra-parliamentary political forces, and non-governmental organizations.
The council is chaired by Minister of Justice Srbuhi Galyan and works systematically, discussing proposed amendments to each chapter of the Constitution.The ministry emphasized that the discussions, recommendations, and decisions of the council do not yet constitute the text of a new Constitution.
“Everything depends on the final decision of the people, which will take place through a referendum,” the statement said.The ministry noted that any amendment to the Constitution will be made only if the adoption of a new Constitution is approved by referendum, underscoring Armenia's commitment to democratic principles and the decisive role of the public.
“The final word belongs solely to the people,” the statement added.
The Ministry of Justice called on media outlets and the public to rely on official information and refrain from unfounded assumptions, noting that the constitutional reform process is open and transparent. It also stated that the draft text of the new Constitution will be put to a referendum after national elections.
OdaTV has previously disseminated false information about Armenia, which was later denied by relevant Armenian authorities.