Armenian Parliament passes amendments to judicial code after scandal

The Armenian National Assembly passed the amendments to the country's judicial code at the second and final reading. As many as 64 MPs voted for the bill.  

Yelk opposition faction and Tsarukyan bloc, are opposed to these amendments saying they leave citizens without a right for available judicial procedures, called on their fellow partisans refrain from voting.   

As a result, the amendments got only 61 votes of the necessary 63. The parliament speaker who is from the ruling Republican Party of Armenia, Ara Babloyan, seeing the figure 61 on the electronic board, announced the bill passed, while at least 63 votes were needed to considered it passed. 

In response, the opposition lawmakers demanded a repeated vote, but Babloyan, ignoring their demand, continued the session. Yelk opposition faction MPs started hammering on their tables in protest and retired from the session hall.  Tsarukyan faction members supported Yelk, and the session continued without them, ARKA reported.

An MP from Tsarukyan bloc, Naira Zohrabyan, denounced such a way of discussion unacceptable and the results of the vote questionable. 

Tsarukyan bloc, finding yesterday’s vote illegal and its further presence in discussion and voting unreasonable, retired from the session hall. 

The amendments imply creation of a single first instance court in Yerevan, which will accumulate all cases and distribute them among community courts.