YEREVAN, DECEMBER 11, ARMENPRESS. The Armenian parliament is holding the second and final reading of the government-backed bill envisaging voluntary early retirement mechanisms for the incumbent Constitutional Court Justices.

Minister of Justice Rustam Badasyan told lawmakers in parliament that certain technical amendments were made in the bill after the first reading.

According to Badasyan, the bill has been approved by the Venice Commission, and international practice has been taken into consideration while developing it.

Lawmakers approved the bill at first reading with 65 votes in favor and 33 against.

The opposition parties voted it down.

The law will envisage an early retirement system for Constitutional Court justices who will step down before the end of their mandate.

In particular, Constitutional Court judges who will resign by January 31, 2020 will continue receiving pensions for as long as they would’ve received it while in office with the same rate and bonuses.

Constitutional Court judges who have been installed after the initiation of the 2017 January 17 ՀՕ-42-Ն constitutional law are not covered with this right.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan