YEREVAN, MAY 27, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan has received a letter from the President of the Venice Commission Gianni Buquicchio, where the latter expressed readiness to support the decisive reforms in the judicial system of Armenia and the implementation of vetting, PM’s spokesperson Vladimir Karapetyan told ARMENPRESS. 

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ARMENPRESS presents the non-official transcript of Gianni Buquicchio’s letter,

“Honorable Mr. Prime Minister,

I am writing to you as the continuation of our April 11 meeting in Strasburg, during which we reaffirmed our interest to establish close cooperation between Armenia and the Venice Commission.

Recently I got to know about your calls over carrying out decisive reforms in the judicial system and even applying the tool of vetting. You mention with regret that the judicial system does not enjoy public trust and consider that bribed and incompetent judges should resign or be dismissed.

Undoubtedly, public trust towards the judicial system is among the key components of an effectively operating democratic country, and I am aware that, painfully, the trust towards the judicial system is not sufficient in Armenia.

The Venice Commission has supported reforms and even the process of implementing vetting in other European countries that were in the same situation.

But I have to underline that the Venice Commission also reaffirms that the reforms in the judicial system should be developed and carried out through legal measures, in accordance with the Constitution and taking into account the rule of law and the European criteria over human rights. Such reforms can reach their goal of strengthening rule of law and can foster the implementation of democratic aspirations in your country only if those criteria are respected.

The Venice Commission is ready to support you in elaborating the reforms aimed at restoring public trust towards the judicial system of Armenia, respecting the Constitution of Armenia and relevant international standards”.

Edited and translated by Tigran Sirekanyan

UPDATES: 

28/05/2019 - Official transcript and copy of Buquicchio’s letter to Pashinyan