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The ruling Civil Contract faction’s candidate for chair of the parliamentary Committee on State and Legal Affairs, MP Arusyak Julhakyan, said on Tuesday that organizing discussions on a new Constitution should be one of the committee’s key upcoming tasks.
Speaking in parliament during the debate on her candidacy, she said the committee discusses issues related to the organization of the state and political system, constitutional and electoral systems, the activities of political parties, the judiciary, the law enforcement system, as well as criminal, administrative and civil legislation.
“For me, this committee is not simply a body that discusses bills. The committee is a platform where the legal architecture of the state is shaped, democratic institutions are strengthened, and the legal guarantees on which citizens’ trust in the state is built are created,” Julhakyan said.
She singled out reforms in the justice sector as one of the committee’s main areas of activity, noting that despite the work carried out, problems related to the duration of judicial proceedings, court caseloads and the predictability of judicial decisions continue to exist.
According to Julhakyan, another important area is the fight against corruption. She said political will is a necessary but not sufficient condition for an effective fight against corruption.
The MP noted that the committee’s priorities should include monitoring the activities of anti-corruption bodies, assessing the effectiveness of law enforcement and, when necessary, initiating prompt legislative amendments.
Julhakyan also addressed the law on confiscation of property of illicit origin, describing it as one of the most important laws adopted in recent years.
“It is already in effect and is producing results, albeit slowly,” she said, noting that the problems identified during the application of the law and the positions of the Constitutional Court have been addressed, and relevant amendments will be submitted to the National Assembly in the near future.
Addressing the proposed new Constitution, Julhakyan emphasized that democratic legitimacy must receive full constitutional expression.
“We must have a Constitution whose author is truly the people, a Constitution whose public legitimacy will no longer be called into question, a Constitution that will become not a document belonging to any one political force, but a document of general agreement among the citizens of the Republic of Armenia,” she said.
According to her, the new Constitution should strengthen human dignity as a key value of the constitutional order, more clearly define the limits of state power, ensure an effective system of checks and balances, as well as the stability of public administration and democratic oversight.
Julhakyan also listed strengthening the independence of the judiciary, improving access to justice, enhancing the quality of legislation and conducting post-legislative scrutiny of laws already adopted among the committee’s other priorities.
She assured that, if elected, she is ready to cooperate with all parliamentary factions and lawmakers, regardless of their political positions.
“The establishment of a state governed by the rule of law transcends party interests,” Julhakyan concluded.