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“The acting Constitution, which is authored also by me, envisages initial constitutional control over any constitutional changes,” the President of the Armenian Constitutional Court Hrayr Tovmasyan told reporters on Tuesday.

Tovmasyan’s comments came at a request to comment on the legislation approved on Monday by parliament in the second and final reading, enabling the suspension of three Constitutional Court judges and the election of its new chairman.

In Tovmasyan’s words, the Constitutional Court of Armenia had no chance to discuss the draft legislation. “The acting Constitution states that any changes that refer to the Constitutional Court are subject to constitutional control. I only constitute the facts without giving any assessment” Tovmasyan said.

Asked what are his plans since the legislation also terminates his powers as the President of the Court, Tovmasyan said: “There is the principle of the right regarding the void legal acts when a person has the right of obeying or not the law but has no right to obey it,” said Tovmasyan.

He then promised to address all legal issues which would not become a topic of Court consideration. “As a lawyer I exercise restraint and will also state that I feel ashamed of what we saw yesterday in the National Assembly,” the President of the Court added.