YEREVAN. – The interviews—by the immediate directive of the leader of Armenia’s ruling Civil Contract party—by the majority My Step parliamentary faction members have ensued Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s unexpected harsh assessments after recently elected Constitutional Court Judge Vahe Grigoryan’s unsuccessful attempt to “take over” the Constitutional Court, and days after the famous report of the Venice Commission, Hraparak (Square) newspaper reported.

“Despite the facts recorded in the report, they [the My Step faction MPs] insist—one after another—on the need for the resignation of the Constitutional Court president [Hrayr Tovmasyan].

“According to the authorities’ sources, the second attempt to attack against the Constitutional Court is not accidental. Pashinyan has succeeded in compromising with [the] Venice [Commission] and international organizations. [Accordingly,] they [the incumbent Armenian authorities] will take over the Constitutional Court in exchange for the ratification of the Istanbul Convention. [The] Venice [Commission] will turn a blind eye to the Civil Contractization of the Constitutional Court, the initiating of criminal cases against Hrayr Tovmasyan and dismissing him from the post, and [in exchange,] My Step will ratify the Istanbul Convention, in September,” Hraparak wrote.