Speaker of the National Assembly of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan, who is in Italy on an official visit, continues to have meetings with European officials, writes Hraparak Armenian newspaper.

 

“We had already reported that Armenia’s officials are offering the Europeans a political deal, telling them that Armenia will ratify the Istanbul Convention, if the Europeans shut an eye on the score that the Armenian authorities are settling with the Constitutional Court and President of the Constitutional Court Hrayr Tovmasyan.

 

We had also reported that yesterday Ararat Mirzoyan had a meeting with President of the Venice Commission Gianni Buquicchio. Mirzoyan said the Armenian public is mainly against ratification of the Istanbul Convention, but if the Armenian authorities manage to change the composition of the Constitutional Court and dismiss Tovmasyan, they will also succeed in ratifying the Convention.

 

Today we received more information about the meeting, and this time from an insider of the Venice Commission who reported that the meeting didn’t go too smoothly.

 

Gianni Buquicchio drew the parliamentary speaker’s attention to the events related to the Constitutional Court and said the processes against Hrayr Tovmasyan leave the impression of political persecution and called on the Armenian authorities to refrain from assaults against the Constitutional Court, attaching importance to the independence of the judiciary.

Buquicchio stated that not only the Venice Commission, but also other European organizations are closely following the events unfolding in the Constitutional Court,” writes Hraparak.