Armenian president signs education bill into law, ignoring academics' concerns

A group of Armenian university lecturers and researchers urged President Vahagn Khachaturyan not to sign into law the recently adopted package of draft laws on higher education and science, arguing that several of its provisions violate the country’s constitution.

In a petition submitted on 1 October, the academics called on the president to send the law to the Constitutional Court for review. Education expert and associate professor Atom Mkhitaryan said the group had identified at least four articles in the legislation that “clearly contradict” the constitution.

Mkhitaryan later published the official response from the presidential administration dated 21 October, writing, “Judge for yourselves. Incidentally, the reply was prepared by the Legal Department”.

The letter said that the president had already signed the bill into law on 9 October.