One Armenia political party has issued a statement that particularly reads as follows:

“Following the events that have been unfolding in the judiciary of Armenia over the past few days, One Armenia political party records the following:

The executive power of Armenia has prima facie intervened in the activities of the judicial power in Armenia, violating the principles of separation of powers that serve as the pillar of democracy and the Constitution of Armenia.

The executive power has announced about the introduction of the instrumentation for transitional justice in Armenia and the decision on applying the so-called “vetting” for incumbent judges.

The National Assembly of Armenia organized hearings devoted to the introduction of transitional justice in Armenia, and the results showed that the executive and legislative powers in Armenia lack a complex and complete picture of the integrity of the instrumentation that is proposed, as well as the mechanisms for application and the possible consequences.

Taking into consideration the aforementioned, One Armenia political party is certain that the ‘revolutionary’ and ‘surgical’ intervention for reforms in the judiciary of Armenia — declared by the Armenian authorities — is sectorial, elemental and targeted very subjectively.

In the absence of grounds and preconditions for the application of transitional justice in Armenia, we view the decision of the authorities on the introduction and application of “transitional justice” as artificial and strictly politicized.

The decision of the executive power to subject judges to vetting does not meet the standards prescribed for the judicial power and judges of Armenia by the Constitution and the Judicial Code of Armenia.

Realizing and acknowledging the need for and importance of ongoing and consistent reforms in the judiciary of Armenia, guided by the progressive principles of political centrism, the political council of the One Armenia political party decides:

To launch the process of developing the Comprehensive Concept Paper on Legal Security in the Republic of Armenia, viewing it as a key component of national security.

The One Armenia political party will launch a series of discussions and consultations with Armenia’s political parties and professional and academic representatives of the legal community.

We are certain that all concept papers on security of Armenia must be hinged exclusively on the state and national interests of Armenia, meet the public’s demands and expectations and serve for the benefit and for the Republic of Armenia.”