Pashinyan reiterates: Declaration of Independence a ‘declaration of conflict and dependence

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan reiterated on Thursday that the ongoing development of a new constitution and the issue of the Declaration of Independence reference are domestic matters, Armenpress reports.

Asked about the possible removal of the reference to the Declaration of Independence from the draft constitution currently under development, Pashinyan said:

"The issue of the Declaration of Independence and the issue of our Constitution is our internal matter, because it is necessary for us, not for others—to position ourselves correctly in the world. The Declaration of Independence is not a declaration of independence; it is a declaration of conflict, and as a result, a declaration of dependence." According to him, in such an environment, it is possible to live only by expecting external assistance, and expecting external assistance will place one in a continuously increasing dependence on those from whom that assistance is expected.

"Therefore, the Declaration of Independence is a declaration of conflict and dependence. The Constitution and this discussion are necessary for us; it is a matter of our internal agenda. We have not discussed it with any external power, we are not discussing it, and we will not discuss it. We are discussing it with our people," the Prime Minister emphasized.

Minister of Justice Srbuhi Galyan earlier said that the Council for Constitutional Reforms has finalized the draft constitution, which the government proposes to replace the current one via referendum. According to Galyan, the draft still needs to be discussed at the ruling Civil Contract party’s board meeting, as well as by its parliamentary faction.

Prime Minister Pashinyan had earlier announced that, in his opinion, the new constitution must not include a reference to the Declaration of Independence, unlike the current one.