The Proposed New Draft Constitution of the Republic of Armenia Discussed at AUA

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YEREVAN, Armenia – Ms. Siranush Sahakyan, Chairperson of the Commission on Ethics of High-Ranking Officials of Armenia, and Mr. Yeghishe Kirakosyan, Chief Legal Counsel at IDeA Foundation, made presentations on November 4 during an event organized by the American University of Armenia (AUA) College of Humanities and Social Sciences.  The topic of discussion was constitutional reform in Armenia.

During the event, the differences between the current Constitution and the proposed draft constitution were discussed, with a special focus on proposed amendements in the area of fundamental human and civil rights and freedoms. In the draft constitution, a new structure and distinction is made between rights, which are directly applicable, and social rights, which are spelled out as objectives of state policy or are to be defined by law, as justiciable subjective rights.

The catalog of fundamental rights is enriched with additional rights and standards in the draft, which was also discussed. Another important aspect of the debate was the new constitutional solution for limitation of rights and derogation.

Also discussed was how the draft constitution would regulate in a detailed way the Republic of Armenia’s implementation of international commitments. Some questions that were posed were: What are the main challenges for Armenia in foreign policy? Does the Constitution address them?

In addition, the participation of Armenia in international/supra-national organizations and international judicial institutions creates an additional need for further regulation. The experts discussed appropriate techniques and provisions in the national legislation, including the Constitution, for the implementation of international law.

Founded in 1991, the American University of Armenia (AUA) is a private, independent university located in Yerevan, Armenia and affiliated with the University of California. AUA provides a global education in Armenia and the region, offering high-quality, graduate and undergraduate studies, encouraging civic engagement, and promoting public service and democratic values.