YEREVAN. – The Venice Commission, considering two matters regarding the Republic of Armenia (RA)—the judicial reforms and the Istanbul Convention, on Friday issued its conclusion, mainly meeting the expectations of the Armenian authorities, according to Hraparak (Square) newspaper.

“[Accordingly,] the Istanbul Convention will be ratified by Armenia; in exchange, they have allowed the RA authorities to send Constitutional Court judges to early retirement—[but] with one reservation that it should be on voluntary bases rather than compulsory.

“That is to say, the RA NA [National Assembly] will from now on be able to adopt the Judicial Code amendments qualified as the ‘law of blackmail and bribery,’ and the Venice Commission will not particularly object to it, as, subsequently, the Istanbul Convention so desirable to Europe will be ratified [by Armenia].

“The political trade has taken place,” Hraparak wrote.