Armenia’s constitutional reform plans remain at odds with Baku’s demands

Armenia will not discuss its constitution with Baku, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said Wednesday, reiterating his government’s plans to adopt a new constitution amid ongoing disagreements with Azerbaijan over the peace process.

“We have informed all our international partners of this and, during discussions and negotiations with Azerbaijan, we state it clear that we do not intend to discuss matters related to our Constitution with any external actor,” Pashinyan said in parliament.

He also suggested that recent statements by Azerbaijani officials about Armenia’s constitution could be intended to provoke domestic political instability in Armenia.

Pashinyan, however, reaffirmed his government’s intention to adopt a new constitution, saying the move was included in both the ruling Civil Contract party’s election platform and the government’s agenda.

He said the draft would soon be published, followed by the subsequent steps required under established procedures.

Justice Minister Srbuhi Galyan told local publication Factor on Wednesday that the draft of Armenia’s new constitution would be made public next month.

“This will be a draft, meaning we are presenting a proposal for public consideration, not a final document. We intend to discuss the draft extensively with the public over a long period,” Galyan said.

Galyan had previously said the draft would be published in March, but it was not released then.

Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan, speaking during the same parliamentary session as Pashinyan, suggested the government might resign if voters rejected the new constitution at a nationwide referendum.

The planned constitutional changes have become a point of contention in Armenia’s peace process with Azerbaijan. Baku has demanded that Armenia remove references to the country’s Declaration of Independence from its constitution, arguing that they imply territorial claims against Azerbaijan. The Armenian government has said it intends to adopt a new constitution, though Pashinyan has insisted that the issue is Armenia’s internal matter.

Last week, Pashinyan said the ruling Civil Contract party might initiate a snap parliamentary election to secure enough seats to hold a referendum on the new constitution. The party currently holds 64 of the parliament’s 105 seats, six short of the two-thirds majority required to initiate a constitutional referendum.