Justice Minister Sees ‘Problematic’ Similarities in Armenian and Azerbaijani Constitutions
Armenia’s Constitution and Coat of Arms
Armenia’s Justice Minister Srbuhi Galyan said Thursday that there were “problematic” similarities in the constitutions of Armenia and Azerbaijan, when she was asked about expert opinion that contends the latter has territorial claims against Armenia ingrained in its constitution.
According to Galyan’s logic, the problems in the constitution of Azerbaijan that experts point out are similar to what Azerbaijan points out in the constitution of Armenia.
“And since it is not a problem in the constitution of Armenia, it is not a problem in the constitution of Azerbaijan either if we look at all of this in a mirror image,” she said when speaking to reporters on Thursday.
Galyan reiterated the position of the Armenian authorities, that the constitution of Armenia does not contain the problems that Azerbaijan continuously references, adding that Armenia’s Constitutional court also confirmed this aspect.
President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan has threatened to not sign a peace agreement with Armenia unless Armenia ratifies its Constitution.
“Peace has a price, and the people decide whether to pay [it] or not. We are guided by the peace agenda, and this agenda is dictated by the people,” said Galyan in response to the legitimacy of Aliyev’s preconditions.
“Changing the constitution is our and our people’s internal affair, and not of another person or country,” she said.
Galyan also expressed hope that the Armenian prisoners being held captive in Baku will be returned as soon as possible, without elaborating the steps her office is taking to that end.
“As for the [Armenian] prisoners [in Azerbaijan], it is a painful issue. Most of them have been returned to Armenia through the efforts of our state, and I hope that developments will be such that those who are not in our country will also return to our country,” said Galyan.
