On February 6, Arpine Hovhannisyan RA Minister of Justice, Members of the Constitutional Court, Gevorg Danielyan,President of the Council of the Center of Constitutional Law, Hrayr Tovmasyan Head of the NA Staff, Academician Gagik Ghazinyan, Vardan Poghosyan, head of the legal project of the German Corporation for International Cooperation (GIZ), Grigor Muradyan, Head of Legal Department of the Staff of the RA President, Karen Matevosyan, President of Administrative Court, lawyers and constitutionalists were present at the reception dedicated to 21st anniversary of establishment of the RA Constitutional Court.
G. Harutyunyan, President of the Constitutional Court greeted the participants, congratulated on 21st anniversary of establishment of the CC and introduced the recent achievements of the RA CC underlining some important and significant events.
Mr. Harutyunyan highlighted the event organized in the scopes of the joint project of the Council of Europe and the European Union, where the first volume of the guidebook “Legal positions expressed in the decisions of the RA Constitutional Court and their implementation” (compiled with the assistance of the CC members and edited by Gevorg Danielyan, Adviser of the CC) was presented. Publication of 942 page voluminous book was implemented by the financial assistance of the European Union and the Council of Europe within the framework of joint project “Strengthening the independence, professionalism and accountability of justice system in Armenia” of the European Union and the Council of Europe.
This book presents the legal positions expressed in the decisions of the Constitutional Court and the process of their implementation. The book is designed for judges, officials, specialists, theorists involved in legal studies, as well as for the public. The legal positions expressed in the book are presented in the grounds of development of our legal system. The second volume is in the process of publication, which would include certain queries expressed in the annual reports of the Constitutional Court, and the latter would play significant role for further development of legal system.
The RA Constitution in four languages (Armenian, Russian, German and English) published by the initiative of the legal project of the German Corporation for International Cooperation (GIZ), as well as “Almanac” based on the materials of Pan-European International Conference held in Yerevan (which were successfully presented in Strasbourg recently) were also presented at the meeting. The Russian version of the issue of journal “Constitutional Justice” (which includes the main list of indicators of constitutional monitoring for the first time) was presented likewise.
This is important as the rest of the world now works in the way to develop such a system. In 2011 it was initiated by the UN, and in 2012 a system of indicators was developed. This publication actually suggests an open discussion by delivering the journal to more than 40 countries. A special working group has been formed in Armenia (at Yerevan State University) which deals with methodological issues and in nearest future, with the help of this method and indicators, assessment of constitutionality and constitutional culture for over 140 countries is planned.
It was also mentioned that the solemn ceremony of establishment of International Analytical Center “Constitutional Culture” foundation was held in Strasbourg. This newly created center has been already joined by 40 constitutionalists from 18 countries. During the reception the website of International Analytical Center “Constitutional Culture” foundation was introduced. It will contain an electronic journal, where materials of different authors will be published. The website was introduced by presenting images and video materials.
At the presentation the canvas of the painter Rudik Petrosyan “Birth of the Constitution” created on the basis of historical events (particularly, Ashtishat assembly) was introduced. It actually becomes one of the symbols of International Analytical Center “Constitutional Culture”.