Artsakh Constitution to be amended amid leadership concerns

PanARMENIAN.Net - A lawmaker from Artsakh’s Justice faction, Metakse Hakobyan, announced that constitutional amendments are being drafted to guarantee the continued functioning of the presidency. According to Panorama.am , these efforts are designed to ensure the uninterrupted operation of state institutions under any circumstances.

“We’ve been working on this for quite some time. There isn’t just one solution—we have several alternatives, especially considering the political reality in Armenia. We must safeguard the continuity of state structures in case of future changes in Armenia’s leadership,” Hakobyan said.

The lawmaker noted that the current president’s term ends on May 21. To preclude legal complications and clarify the institutional framework, the parliament has initiated constitutional reforms. While regulations concerning the National Assembly are already in place under the existing constitution, additional adjustments are being proposed to reinforce the continuity of executive power.

Hakobyan explained that these changes are being implemented to ensure that governance mechanisms remain functional regardless of whether the president can continue serving—due to physical, personal, or other reasons. “We’ve faced considerable challenges over the past year and a half, partly due to inactivity within both the parliament and other government bodies. These reforms aim to boost their engagement and resilience,” she said.

The draft amendments have passed their first reading in parliament and were submitted to the Supreme Court of Artsakh, which issued a favorable opinion. The Parliamentary Committee on Legal Affairs also endorsed the bill.

Hakobyan noted that the second reading was scheduled for April 4 but was postponed due to a lack of quorum. She attributed this to “unfounded fears, a lack of accountability, and failure to grasp their mission” among some lawmakers.

“We are not considering alternatives yet. The focus remains on ensuring the session takes place. Although a new date has not been set, deliberations are ongoing. It can’t be delayed much longer due to time constraints,” she concluded.