APPEAL COURT CHAIRMAN SAYS THEY STILL HAVE TIME TO SUBMIT DECISION TO PROSECUTOR’S OFFICE

(The following are the excerpts of the interview with the Chairman of Appeal Court of Armenia)
- Speaking about Mataghisi Case, the Armenian defense minister said he will follow that the judges, who were not fair, will get punished. What is your opinion on that?

- Judges may be subjected to disciplinary punishment according to Law on Justice Council and Law on Status of Judges. If the violation is serious, the judge may be subjected to disciplinary action. But this issue has its specific sides. Judges are not subjected to disciplinary actions for all mistakes. It is necessary not to violate the independence of judges with that.

- As you know the European Court has made a ruling against Armenia recently. Can you interpret that?

- I do not have interpretations. The decision of the European Court is effective and is subject for execution on the territory of the Republic of Armenia.

- Speaking about future justice minister, often times your candidacy is mentioned.

- Such talks are not serious. They are just assumption and are caused by lack of information. At this point in my life, I have decided not to engage in politics. I cannot say what will be later. I have never wished to become justice minister.

- The prosecutor’s office constantly mentions that it has not received the decision of the Appeal Court as of December 22, 2007 on Mataghisi Case. What can you say in this regard?

- The mentioned case is very complex and big. Of coarse, there are judicial acts, which may be filed in a day or two. But Mataghisi case is voluminous and the decision of the criminal chamber is composed of not only the conclusive part but also the introduction and reasons. After all, the Criminal Code entitles the Appeal Court to send its decisions to the parties of the case in reasonable time frame which is not over yet.