Pashinyan calls for justice consensus

PanARMENIAN.Net - Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said the country needs to develop a clear public consensus on the meaning of justice and the administration of justice. He made the remarks at the opening of the two-day Armenian Platform of the European Prosecutors' Dialogue.

Pashinyan said Armenia currently lacks a public consensus or a common state message defining justice and the rule of law, adding that efforts should be directed toward developing such a consensus, Armenpress reported.

"These seem like simple and familiar concepts, but when we move into the practical sphere, it becomes obvious that there are important questions that still need answers. I see and feel this gap in our reality. There is no public consensus or common state message explaining what justice and the administration of justice actually mean," he said.

According to the prime minister, justice should be viewed exclusively through the lens of legitimacy, because the closer a decision is to legitimacy, the more closely it aligns with the principles of justice.

He argued that the only source of legitimacy is the people of Armenia as the sovereign authority, and that justice cannot be institutionally separated from that legitimacy.

"In my view, this problem seriously exists in our legal mentality and social psychology. There is a gap between justice and legitimacy—that is, the people. I am not saying that public perceptions or wishes should automatically become justice. Even where people seek revenge or retribution, the institutions of justice must restrain those impulses, strike a balance and ensure that the rights of potential suspects or defendants are protected," Pashinyan said.

He added that Armenia has not yet fully implemented this approach. According to the prime minister, addressing the problem requires progress in two main directions: establishing the full legitimacy of Armenia's constitutional order through a constitution adopted by the free will of the people, and carrying out deep reforms in legal education.

Pashinyan also questioned whether legal education in Armenia is keeping pace with developments in the country and internationally.

Reflecting on the recent election campaign, he said the most difficult questions he faced from citizens concerned the perceived lack of justice in Armenia.

"I understand and accept the principle of separation of powers and all relevant international standards. But in the end, people direct all questions about justice to me. With all due respect, very few people stop prosecutors or judges in the street to ask why there is no justice in the country. Those questions are addressed to me or to political representatives, and I expect the judicial system to provide answers because, frankly, I do not have them myself. I ask those same questions, yet I am constrained by the limits of my constitutional powers. Citizens, however, are not constrained—they have questions, and those questions deserve answers," he said.

Pashinyan also expressed the view that the government has already resolved most of the issues within its own responsibility related to establishing justice.

"We have addressed these issues by consistently explaining to the public that our decisions are made not for officials, but for the people, so they can see the results and feel that justice exists in Armenia," he said.