YEREVAN. – Artur Vagharshyan, who nominated by the President as a candidate for a judge of the Constitutional Court of Armenia, considers it legitimate to terminate the powers of Alvina Gyulumyan, Felix Tokhyan, and Hrant Nazaryan from the position of a judge of the Constitutional Court. Vagharshyan expressed such an opinion in a conversation with Armenian News-NEWS.am, adding that he will legally explain in the National Assembly why he thinks so.

Asked whether he was persuaded to be nominated a candidate for a judge of the Constitutional Court or whether he immediately accepted the offer, Vagharshyan responded: "Why should they persuade [me]? (…). I participated in several competitions [for Constitutional Court judge]; did not pass. I made the decision, and not that I was told, 'Go, apply!'"

To the question whether the current situation around the Constitutional Court is a result of political intrigues, the candidate for judge of the Constitutional Court responded: "I go by the law. This is not a position for the executive power, so that the process is politicized."

Artur Vagharshyan is a Doctor of Law and the head of the Yerevan State University Chair of History and Theory of State and Law.

To note, the government, the President, and the General Assembly of Judges have the right to nominate a candidate, each, for a judge of the Constitutional Court, and these candidates shall be elected by the National Assembly—by 3/5 of the votes.

The government had already nominated its candidate: Vahram Avetisyan.

The General Assembly of Judges also had nominated its candidate: Yervand Khundkaryan, President of the Court of Cassation.