2018

November 3, 2018

HRAYR TOVMASYAN, PRESIDENT OF THE CONSTITUTIONAL COURT MET WITH THE PRESIDENT OF THE CONSTITUTIONAL COURT OF MONGOLIA

Within the framework of the International Conference on “The New Millennium Constitutionalism”, Hrayr Tovmasyan, President of the RA Constitutional Court had a meeting with Mr. Odbayar Dorj, Chairman of the Constitutional Court of Mongolia, who arrived in Armenia on a working visit.

During the meeting, the parties exchanged views on international cooperation in the field of constitutional justice, as well as touched upon the role of the Constitutional Courts in strengthening of the democratic systems of the two countries.

At the request of the Mongolian party, Hrayr Tovmasyan, President of the Constitutional Court presented the functions and working methodology of the Constitutional Court in Armenia. Both parties emphasized the importance of the further dialogue and cooperation.

Press Secretary of the RA CC

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November 3, 2018

VISIT TO TSITSERNAKABERD

On November 2, within the framework of the International Conference on “The New Millennium Constitutionalism”, foreign high-ranking officials visited the Tsitsernakaberd Memorial Complex and laid flowers at the eternal fire, and paid tribute to the memory of the victims of the Armenian Genocide, as well as visited the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute and learnt about the history and exhibits of that period.

Press Secretary of the RA CC

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November 1, 2018

Within the framework of the International Conference on "The New Millennium Constitutionalism", Hrayr Tovmasyan, President of the RA Constitutional Court met with Gianni Buquicchio, Chairman of the Venice Commission of the Council of Europe. The prospects of expanding and deepening the cooperation between the RA Constitutional Court and the Venice Commission, as well as a number of issues related to recent events in Armenia were discussed. The parties highlighted the importance of the ongoing processes in Armenia to be in accordance with the procedures prescribed by the Constitution.

Mr. Tovmasyan thanked the Venice Commission for the assistance in the development of legal reforms and, in particular, drafting the constitutional amendments. With respect to the RA Constitution, Mr. Buquicchio noted that it is one of the best constitutions in the European region. The parties underlined the importance of cooperation and expressed hope that the good traditions formed between the RA Constitutional Court and the Venice Commission will become more intensive.

Mr. Tovmasyan underscored his readiness to organize annual conferences jointly with the Venice Commission. Mr. Buquicchio emphasized that the Venice Commission will always be ready to provide legal assistance in the processes in Armenia.

November 1, 2018

SOLUTION OF LEGAL AND POLITICAL SITUATION SHOULD BE SOUGHT IN THE CONSTITUTION

“Despite the fact that constitutionalism as the materialization of the modern legal state has long been rooted in the developed democratic states and is being rooted in countries that took the path of democracy and the rule of law, including the Republic of Armenia, the main issue of rooting constitutionalism remains to be more than actual," said the President of the Constitutional Court at the International Conference on “The New Millennium Constitutionalism”. Hrayr Tovmasyan, highlighting the existence of similar professional and practical exchange platforms between Armenian and foreign partners, noted that he anticipates open and sincere discussions that will reveal the challenges in different countries as well as outline the possible ways to overcome them.

According to Mr. Tovmasyan, the constitutionalism is, first of all, the implementation of the constitutional value system which requires proper legal and political culture, broad public consensus on constitutional fundamental values, culture of consistent application of rights, effective procedures for ensuring the rule of law, viable state institutions and civil society institutions, as well as the public imperative and the requirement to fulfill unconditionally the commandments of the Constitution. Touching upon the title of the Conference, the President of the Constitutional Court noted that in the new millennium, the so-called fraudulent constitutionalism or imitation of constitutionalism challenge the constitutionalism. It is no less dangerous than the lack of constitutionalism. Therefore, in any State, any legal and political solution must be sought in the constitution; other route is fraught with legal uncertainty with all its possible consequences.

The International Conference on “The New Millennium Constitutionalism” is ongoing in the Constitutional Court on November 1-2. The goal of the Conference is to reveal the challenges in ensuring the constitutionalism in the 21st century and to discuss the mechanisms of ensuring the constitutionalism. The topics discussed are as follows: current challenges to justice and constitution, particularly, effective justice monitoring, judicial power in crisis situations, further strengthening of democracy through the rule of law, etc. Foreign high-ranking guests, amongst them the Chairman of the Venice Commission of the Council of Europe, the Chairman of the Constitutional Court of Mongolia, the Vice President of the Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina and other high-ranking officials, law scholars, participate in the Conference. Tomorrow the Conference starts at 9:00 am, the fourth plenary session will be chaired by Ms. Ivana Hrdlickova, President of the UN Special Tribunal for Lebanon.

Press Secretary of the RA CC

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August 30, 2018

WORKING VISIT OF THE DELEGATION OF THE CONSTITUTIONAL COURT OF THE REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA TO ASTANA

On August 27-30 the delegation of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Armenia led by H.Tovmasyan, the President of the Constitutional Court paid a working visit to Astana, the capital of the Republic of Kazakhstan, during which he participated in the International Conference "A Constitution: the embodiment of the values of the rule of law, civil society and the modern state" dedicated to the Day of the Constitution of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

The conference was attended by the delegations of constitutional courts and other bodies exercising constitutional control of more than 30 countries, as well as representatives of the UN, the Council of Europe, the European Court of Human Rights and several other international organizations.

On August 28, 2018, the regular session of the the member-courts of the “Conference of the Constitutional Control Organs of the Countries of New Democracy” took place, during which a number of issues related to the activities of the Organization were discussed, in particular, the format of its participation in the 5th Congress of the World Conference of Constitutional Justice was set up, a new Internet webpage was presented. The participants of the meeting alsodiscussed the issue of the adoption of the Statute and the flag of the Organization and an agreement was reached to publish the Bulletin “Constitutional Justice” in electronic form twice a year.

On August 29, the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev received the heads of the delegations participating in the International Conference, including H. Tovmasyan, the head of the delegation of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Armenia.

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June 18, 2018

PREPARATORY MEETING OF THE CONGRESS OF THE CONFERENCE OF EUROPEAN CONSTITUTIONAL COURTS

On 12-14 June 2018 the preparatory meeting of the upcoming Congress of the Conference of European Constitutional Courts took place in Prague, during which the host country, the Constitutional Court of the Czech Republic formally assumed the chairmanship of the above-mentioned pan-European organization till 2021. The preparatory meeting was attended by the delegations of various institutions implementing constitutional justice from 35 European states. The delegation of the Constitutional Court of Armenia was headed by Ms. Arevik Petrosyan, Judge of the Constitutional Court of the Republic Armenia.

During the preparatory meeting, the participants discussed a wide range of issues related to deepening of the cooperation between institutions implementing constitutional justice and outlined the prospects for expanding dialogue in the legal field. At the end of the preparatory meeting, the participants adopted a number of decisions, in particular, it was decided that the upcoming conference of the Circle of Presidents of the Conference of European Constitutional Courts will be convened on 26-28 May 2020 in Prague. The theme of the Congress is "Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms: the Relationship of International, Transnational and National Catalogues in the 21st Century."

In parallel, on June 14, in the framework of the preparatory meeting of the Conference of European Constitutional Courts, the international conference dedicated to the 25th anniversary of the formation of the Constitutional Court of the Czech Republic was held. The head of the Armenian delegation, Ms. Arevik Petrosyan, Judge of the Constitutional Court made a main report. At the Conference, the Chairpersons of the Constitutional Courts of Germany, France, Spain, Slovenia, and Moldova made presentations likewise. The results of the International Conference were summed up by Mr. Pavel Rychetský the President of the Constitutional Court of the Czech Republic.

For your information, the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Armenia has been a full member of the Conference of European Constitutional Courts since 2000.

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May 16, 2018

WORKING MEETING WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF THE VIII SAINT PETERSBURG LEGAL FORUM

On May 16, within the framework of the VIII St. Petersburg Legal Forum, the regular session of the member-courts of the “Conference of the Constitutional Control Organs of the Countries of New Democracy” was held at the “Pompeii” Hall at the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation, which was attended by the delegations of the Constitutional Courts of the Republic of Armenia, the Republic of Belarus, Mongolia, the Russian Federation, the Republic of Tajikistan, the Constitutional Council of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court of the Kyrgyz Republic.

The agenda of the working session included the coordination of the further activities of the Conference, cooperation with other international institutions, as well as the issues related to the participation in the “Congress of the World Conference on Constitutional Justice,” which will be convened in Algeria in 2020.

During the session, the new official logo of the Organization was adopted: Themis holding the Constitution, with the background of the sun surrounded by the rays of wheat. The participants of the meeting adopted a decision to convene the next session of the Conference within the framework of the International Conference which will be held in Astana, capital of Kazakhstan in August 2018. It should be noted that since September 2017, the Constitutional Council of the Republic of Kazakhstan has assumed the chairmanship at the “Conference of the Constitutional Control Organs of the Countries of New Democracy.”

May 15, 2018

CC DELEGATION PARTICIPATES IN SAINT PETERSBURG LEGAL FORUM

On May 15, the EIGHTH SAINT PETERSBURG LEGAL FORUM launched its activities within the framework of which on 15 May the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation convened the international conference "Constitution in the Era of Global Change and Constitutional Surveillance” dedicated to the 25th anniversary of the adoption of the Constitution of the Russian Federation. The representatives of constitutional courts and equivalent institutions of more than four dozen countries, representatives of the UN, Council of Europe, ECHR and a number of other international organizations participated in the conference. The delegation of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Armenia is represented by Judge A. Tunyan and the Chief of the Staff V. Vardanyan.

On May 16, the plenary session of the “Conference of the Constitutional Control Organs of the Countries of New Democracy” will also be held, where the main tendencies and perspectives of the strengthening and further development of the given international organization will be discussed.

February 14, 2018

WORKING VISIT TO THE CZECH REPUBLIC

On February 7-9, the delegation led by Mr. G. Harutyunyan, President of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Armenia, paid a working visit to Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic upon the invitation of Mr. Pavel Rychetský, President of the Constitutional Court of the Czech Republic.

Within the framework of the working visit the delegation, led by Mr. G. Harutyunyan, President of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Armenia, held meetings with Mr. Pavel Rychetsky, President of the Constitutional Court of the Czech Republic, Ms. Milada Tomková, Vice-President of the Constitutional Court of the Czech Republic and Jiří Zemánek, Judge of the Constitutional Court of the Czech Republic.

During the meeting, the parties exchanged views on the topic of “Stability of Constitutions and Constitutional Amendments”, as well as touched upon the role of the Constitutional Courts in strengthening the sustainable democratic systems of the two countries.

At the request of the Czech party, G. Harutyunyan, President of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Armenia presented in details the process of constitutional reforms in the Republic of Armenia.

Mr. Vladimir Hovhannisyan and Mrs. Arevik Petrosyan, Members of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Armenia, also participated at the meeting.

Within the framework of the working visit the delegation of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Armenia also held meetings at the Senate of the Parliament of the Czech Republic. In particular, issues related to the legal cooperation between the two countries and the role of the Constitutional Courts of Armenia and the Czech Republic in the direction of its development were discussed with Mr. Ivo Bárek, the Vice-President of the Senate.

The RA CC Press Service

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