July 5, 2016 - 13:12 AMT
Armenia celebrates Constitution Day on July 5

Armenia celebrates the Constitution Day on July 5.

On this day in 1995 the citizens of the republic voted for the adoption of the Constitution of independent Armenia, thus expressing their will to live in a free and democratic state, where power is vested in its citizens, who exercise it directly through the election of government representatives.

Decisions related to changes in constitutional status or to an alteration of borders are subject to a vote of the citizens of Armenia exercised in a referendum. A constitutional referendum was held in Armenia on December 6, 2015. The proposed amendments would change the country from having a semi-presidential to a parliamentary republic, with the changes set to take place during the 2017–18 electoral cycle. The referendum passed with 66.2% of voters supporting it. Voter turnout was 50.8%, passing the 33% threshold to validate the results.

President Serzh Sargsyan issued a congratulatory message on the Constitution Day, stating that “this is an important and historic day for our country and our people. Together, we are traveling step by step down the road which leads us towards the implementation of the goals enshrined in the Constitution.

The latest constitutional reforms have proved once again that our sovereign, democratic, legal, and social state has matured; the reforms have also highlighted tendencies for our country’s upward and sustainable development. The altered version of the Constitution makes us as a society freer and stronger. At the same time, the new reality requires a responsible attitude from all of us towards the ongoing social, legal, and political processes.”