The Bright Armenia party (BAP) is carrying out a parliamentary election campaign outside the building of the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC).

BAP chairman Edmon Marukyan reminded that their election campaign is being conducted in an unconventional style: it began in Yeraskh village, where the BAP demonstrated the current state of Armenia's sovereignty using the example of a half-built factory.

Today, party representatives came to the SJC building to talk about the failure of reforms in Armenia’s judicial system.

Edmon Marukyan recalled that the SJC has changed 5 chairpersons in 8 years, which indicates a lack of independence. One of them resigned after a message sent by PM Nikol Pashinyan via WhatsApp.

“If in the past judges [in Armenia] gave permission for wiretapping and received low salaries, now they do the same, but receive high salaries. When we talk about the European path, it means European standards. It’s not [European Council President Antonio] Costa’s visit [to Yerevan], it’s not about hiding the facts of sexual abuse of minors. The institutions are not working, that’s the problem. The institute of a jury will not save the situation when all other institutions have failed,” said Marukyan, adding that judges in Armenia receive license plates of service cars from the police so that road patrols do not stop them.

One person decides who to wiretap or whose property to seize, and businessmen are afraid to support opposition figures in Armenia, Marukyan noted.

The BAP leader added that he has appealed to the court regarding the decision to remove the image of Mount Ararat from Armenia’s customs stamps, and is eagerly awaiting the court’s verdict. He is convinced that the court will reject the lawsuit, but will ratify it with a stamp with the image of Mount Ararat, which is still on Armenia’s the coat of arms.

Edmon Marukyan noted that their message today is that on the parliamentary election day on June 7, Armenian citizens can receive an independent judicial system. He added that this is necessary so that they are not illegally wiretapped and people do not fear for their businesses just because they are friends with the opposition.