Armenian expert says declaration signed by Pashinyan, bishops unconstitutional

Armenian constitutional law expert Gohar Meloyan has sharply criticized a declaration signed by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and ten bishops, calling it “illegal, unconstitutional and anti-Armenian”.

In a social media post on Sayurday, Meloyan said that while ordinary citizens are free to do anything not prohibited by law, government officials are bound strictly by the constitution and legislation. “The prime minister and other officials can only act within the scope of their clearly defined legal powers,” she noted.

According to Meloyan, the type of documents that can be issued by the prime minister and other state officials are set out in Armenia’s constitution and laws. “The declaration signed by Prime Minister Pashinyan and ten bishops falls outside that framework,” she stated, noting that such actions could entail consequences under Armenia’s Criminal Code.