“Despite the fact that constitutionalism as the materialization of the modern legal state has long been rooted in the developed democratic states and is being rooted in countries that took the path of democracy and the rule of law, including the Republic of Armenia, the main issue of rooting constitutionalism remains to be more than actual," said the President of the Constitutional Court at the International Conference on “The New Millennium Constitutionalism”. Hrayr Tovmasyan, highlighting the existence of similar professional and practical exchange platforms between Armenian and foreign partners, noted that he anticipates open and sincere discussions that will reveal the challenges in different countries as well as outline the possible ways to overcome them.
According to Mr. Tovmasyan, the constitutionalism is, first of all, the implementation of the constitutional value system which requires proper legal and political culture, broad public consensus on constitutional fundamental values, culture of consistent application of rights, effective procedures for ensuring the rule of law, viable state institutions and civil society institutions, as well as the public imperative and the requirement to fulfill unconditionally the commandments of the Constitution. Touching upon the title of the Conference, the President of the Constitutional Court noted that in the new millennium, the so-called fraudulent constitutionalism or imitation of constitutionalism challenge the constitutionalism. It is no less dangerous than the lack of constitutionalism. Therefore, in any State, any legal and political solution must be sought in the constitution; other route is fraught with legal uncertainty with all its possible consequences.
The International Conference on “The New Millennium Constitutionalism” is ongoing in the Constitutional Court on November 1-2. The goal of the Conference is to reveal the challenges in ensuring the constitutionalism in the 21st century and to discuss the mechanisms of ensuring the constitutionalism. The topics discussed are as follows: current challenges to justice and constitution, particularly, effective justice monitoring, judicial power in crisis situations, further strengthening of democracy through the rule of law, etc. Foreign high-ranking guests, amongst them the Chairman of the Venice Commission of the Council of Europe, the Chairman of the Constitutional Court of Mongolia, the Vice President of the Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina and other high-ranking officials, law scholars, participate in the Conference. Tomorrow the Conference starts at 9:00 am, the fourth plenary session will be chaired by Ms. Ivana Hrdlickova, President of the UN Special Tribunal for Lebanon.