Pashinyan: Government is the Bearer of Democratic Values

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, speaking at the Armenian Forum for Democracy, made a number of remarkable statements, presenting his vision on the quality of democracy in the country, the challenges, and the tasks ahead. He described the current situation as "exceptional," insisting that today in Armenia, the defender of democracy and the bearer of those values is the government itself.

To substantiate his speech, the Prime Minister listed the achievements recorded since 2018. "Has any election in Armenia been rigged since 2018? I think it won't sound too ambitious if I say no. Can anyone in Armenia today express an opinion on anything? I think yes. Does the press in Armenia operate freely? I think yes, it operates freely," Pashinyan emphasized, also noting the complete freedom of the internet.

However, along with the democratic achievements, the Prime Minister strongly criticized the culture of profanity rooted in public-political life, considering it a threat to democracy. He accused civil society of not fighting against this phenomenon, noting that many "exploit democracy" but do not protect it. "Is democracy about using sexual swear words against a minor child? Who has stood up and condemned this?" he asked.

One of the key theses of the speech was the voicing of the deep problem of the judicial system. According to Pashinyan, the biggest problem of democracy in Armenia is that the judicial power does not derive from the people. "The connection between the people and the judicial power is severed, while in our country, power belongs to the people," he stated.

The Prime Minister sees the solution to this fundamental problem in the adoption of a new Constitution and, through it, the creation of an "organic link" between the judicial power and the people. As a possible solution, he mentioned the possibility of introducing an institute of jurors. "As long as we do not solve this issue, we will not solve many fundamental issues," Pashinyan concluded.

In his speech, the Prime Minister also addressed the accusations against him that he has dragged Armenia into a war. He emphasized that Armenia has not been out of war since the 1990s. "Did Nikol bring the war? What about in 2016, 2015... wasn't the RA at war in 2001?" the RA Prime Minister listed year by year.

Nikol Pashinyan also emphasized the need for individual responsibility in regulating the existing problems, noting that he made his famous statement "I am the Government" precisely to emphasize his personal responsibility.