Armenian PM Nikol Pashinyan and European Commission for Democracy through Law (Venice Commission) President Claire Bazy-Malaurie met today in Yerevan and discussed ongoing cooperation in the constitutional reform sector.

Pashinyan, according to a statement released by his office, said his administration is determined to pursue its reform agenda.

Both sides stressed the importance of involving civil society in the reform process.

The Venice Commission is an advisory body of the Council of Europe, composed of independent experts in the field of constitutional law.

In a March 2022 opinion statement, the Venice Commission noted:

• Current Armenian legislation – notably the Judicial Code, the Law on the Constitutional Court and the Criminal Code – was felt to not address the issue of the vetting of sitting judges in a satisfactory manner.
• In addition to these complaints, the Ministry of Justice explained that the existing remedies were ineffective. This means that the demand by a significant part of civil society for quick and more radical reforms of the Judiciary, particularly in its composition, had not been met.