Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian again lambasted Armenia’s courts on Friday, saying that they are not trusted by the population and therefore need to undergo radical changes.
Meeting with the Yerevan-based ambassadors of foreign states, Pashinian also said that his government is ready to cooperate with the international community in creating a “truly independent judicial system.” He insisted judicial reforms planned by it are not aimed at ensuring government control over the judiciary.
Pashinian reiterated that unlike the country’s government and parliament formed as a result of democratic elections, Armenian courts lack the “mandate to act on behalf of the people.” “The public just doesn’t trust our judicial system, and this could become a continuous source of crises,” he said.
“We hope and are confident that we will succeed in forming, through close cooperation with our international partners, a credible judicial system,” he added in remarks publicized by his press office.
The office did not release the transcript of his ensuing question-and-answer with the foreign envoys.
Pashinian already stated on Monday that the domestic judiciary “does not enjoy the people’s trust” because it remains connected to Armenia’s former leadership, having validated “dozens of illegalities” which he said were committed by the latter. All judges must therefore undergo a mandatory “vetting,” he said, adding that many of them should resign even before the start of such a process.
On Sunday, one day after a Yerevan court ordered former President Robert Kocharian’s release from custody, Pashinian urged supporters to block the entrances to all court buildings in the country. The move prompted strong criticism from Armenian opposition parties. Some of them accused Pashinian of illegally pressuring the courts and paralyzing their work.
Two representatives of the Council of Europe’s Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) likewise expressed concern at the court blockade on Tuesday. Council of Europe Secretary General Thorbjorn Jagland discussed the issue with Pashinian by phone the following day.
A statement released by the Strasbourg-based organization said Jagland and Pashinian agreed that judicial reforms “should proceed in conformity with the Constitution, the relevant international standards and Armenia's obligations as a member state of the Council of Europe.” It also announced that a team of Council of Europe experts will travel to Yerevan soon to “offer advice and assistance with the necessary reforms.”
For its part, the European Union expressed readiness on Thursday to help the Armenian authorities carry out a “comprehensive and far-reaching judicial reform” with “technical and financial assistance.”
“We welcome the unequivocal commitment by the Armenian Government to pursue justice reform in accordance with the Armenian Constitution and Armenia's international commitments,” read a statement released by the Yerevan-based diplomatic missions of the EU and its member states.
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