YEREVAN. – The authorities of the Republic of Armenia (RA) have deployed a “landing force” to the Venice Commission where two matters related to the country are discussed, according to Hraparak newspaper.

“One is regarding [the Venice Commission’s] approval of the package of judicial reforms [in Armenia], and the other is Rustam Badasyan’s petition to the commission on the constitutionality of the Istanbul Convention.

“Minister of Justice Rustam Badasyan—with his deputy, RA government representative to the ECHR Yeghishe Kirakosyan, NA [National Assembly] [Standing] Committee on State and Legal Affairs chair Vladimir Vardanyan are in the landing force.

“According to our information, they are attempting to engage in political trade with the Venice Commission—with the formula: [Armenia’s] ratification of the Istanbul Convention ‘in exchange for Hrayr Tovmasyan;’ that is, [the] Venice [Commission] endorses [Constitutional Court president] Hrayr Tovmasyan’s removal under the name of reforms, in exchange for which Armenia ratifies the convention,” Hraparak wrote.