Armenia restarts constitutional reform talks, draft expected within 10 months

Armenia is set to resume discussions on a new Constitution with the first meeting of the Constitutional Reform Council scheduled to take place within the next two weeks, marking a significant step in the country’s long-awaited constitutional overhaul.

This development was confirmed by Justice Minister Srbuhi Galian following a government session on July 3, Caliber.Az reports, citing Armenian media.

According to her, the new Constitution’s text could be finalized within ten months, although the timeline remains contingent upon the progression of deliberations.

Galian emphasized that the drafting process is ongoing, with key conceptual provisions still under deliberation. “The text is at the drafting stage. Discussions on key conceptual provisions are pending, and only after that the document will be presented to the public,” she stated.

Galian also highlighted the possibility of public discussions on the draft.

The Justice Minister further noted that substantial revisions to the draft Constitution may emerge from the ongoing debates. Additionally, the council will consider whether amendments to the Declaration of Independence should be included, an issue that remains open to discussion.

This announcement follows earlier statements by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, who in late March outlined plans to hold a referendum on the new Constitution in 2027. Pashinyan suggested it would be prudent to align the referendum with the parliamentary elections in 2026, streamlining the political calendar. He underlined that while constitutional change is fundamentally a domestic political matter, it inevitably carries regional and international ramifications.

In April, the Prime Minister reiterated before parliament that the forthcoming Constitution should not reference the Declaration of Independence, a stance that may shape the foundational principles of the new legal framework.

By Vafa Guliyeva