MP: parallel institutions in Armenia are unconstitutional

PanARMENIAN.Net - Hasmik Hakobyan, an MP from Armenia’s ruling Civil Contract faction, stated that no other state institutions—now or in the future—can operate within the Republic of Armenia.

Referring to recent news of Artsakh State Minister appointment, she described such parallel bodies as “separatist.”

“No other state institutions can exist within the Republic of Armenia, either now or in the future. This is one state—with one legal order and one rule of law,” Hakobyan wrote on Facebook.

“Announcements are being made within Armenia’s territory about the appointment of “state ministers” of Nagorno-Karabakh, the formation of consultative bodies, and claims about sovereignty, succession, and even statehood.

According to the Armenian Constitution, power belongs to the people and is exercised only through legitimate state institutions. Parallel separatist structures are not only unconstitutional, but also pose a threat to the country’s integrity and stability,” she wrote.

She added that while “forcibly displaced Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh have the right to preserve their identity and receive support, that does not justify any claims to parallel statehood.”

Earlier, it was announced that Nzhdeh Iskandaryan, a member of the Council for the Protection of Rights of Artsakh Armenians, was appointed as the State Minister of Artsakh. At a press conference, he said he accepted the offer because he could not advocate for the importance of institutions and yet refuse to take part in their work.