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The Office of Armenian Prosecutor General has issued a statement about legal actions in connection with the accusations voiced by the head of ‘Armenian National Congress’ (ANC) parliamentary faction Levon Zurabyan on October 9.

As was reported, on October 10 Chairman of Armenia’s Constitutional Court Gagik Harutyunyan said in an interview with News.am that the claims that the Armenian side allegedly ‘tried to bribe’ the European Commission for Democracy through Law (the Venice Commission) so as to get a positive opinion on the constitutional reform are marasmic. “I consider those statements marasmic. I think the issues will be discussed in the legal field. If you ask me, the biggest bribe was that we submitted a brilliant draft and received such an opinion about it. I think the rest is a figment of deformed imagination. In all likelihood those statements will be discussed in the legal field in the near future and be followed by explanations about their reason,” Harutyunyan said.  When asked if a defamation lawsuit is meant, Harutyunyan said: “The matter is not about a suit, but the fact that law enforcement bodies have to take necessary measures in that case”.

The newspaper also recalled that during October 9 briefings in the Armenian parliament, MP of the opposition faction ‘Armenian National Congress’ (ANC) Levon Zurabyan said that Armenian society does not support the draft amendments to the Constitution. According to him, among those few who support it are Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan and Constitutional Court Chairman, head of the Commission on Constitutional Reforms Gagik Harutyunynan who allegedly ‘carried out work on bribery of the Venice Commission”.

In this connection the Armenian Prosecutor’s Office said: “A decision was taken not to open a criminal case based on the materials prepared by the Main Department for the Fight against Organized Crime following the statement of Levon Zurabyan,  due to the absence of any facts of giving a bribe to the Venice Commission and acceptance of a bribe by VC.  Zurabyan did not present any facts or well-grounded information to the Main Department for Fight against Organized Crime regarding giving a bribe to the Venice Commission or acceptance of a bribe by a member of the Commission. This provides a reason for conclusion that the information contained in Zurabyan’s statement is not true”.