Armenia’s Ministry of Justice has rejected as “false” and “misleading” a report by Turkish outlet OdaTV on Armenia’s constitutional reform process, dismissing claims that the country is making a “historic decision” to remove “the Armenian people” from its Constitution and warning the public not to rely on unverified reporting as reforms continue under the Constitutional Reform Council and can only take effect through a nationwide referendum.
OdaTV is a privately operated Turkish news outlet founded in 2007 and widely associated with a Kemalist editorial orientation, reflecting the nationalist ideology of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of the Republic of Turkey. The outlet is known for highly politicized, anti-Armenian reporting and has repeatedly been at the center of major political and legal controversies in Turkey.
In a statement responding to the publication, the ministry rejected allegations that a “historic decision” was being made to remove “the Armenian people” from the Constitution, stressing that the article completely distorts the scope and direction of potential constitutional amendments.
“Without addressing each point of the publication separately, we inform you that this report regarding the new Constitution is completely false and does not reflect reality,” the ministry stated. “The information presented completely misrepresents the possible amendments to the Constitution.”
Constitutional Reform Process Ongoing
The Ministry of Justice emphasized that Armenia’s constitutional reform process is being carried out through the Constitutional Reform Council, a body that includes representatives from the legislative, executive, and judicial branches, as well as extra-parliamentary political forces and civil society organizations.
According to the ministry, the council is currently operating and reviewing each chapter of the Constitution in a systematic and comprehensive manner, with the aim of ensuring that any proposed changes are professionally grounded and inclusive of a wide range of perspectives.
The ministry noted that the discussions and recommendations of the council do not yet constitute a final draft of a new Constitution.
Final Decision to Be Made by Referendum
Reaffirming Armenia’s commitment to democratic principles, the Ministry of Justice stressed that any amendment or adoption of a new Constitution can take effect only through a public referendum, underscoring that the final decision rests solely with the people.
“The final word belongs to the people,” the statement said.
The ministry added that the draft text of the new Constitution will be submitted to a referendum following national elections, and urged citizens and media outlets to rely exclusively on official information released by the Ministry of Justice.
“The constitutional reform process is transparent and subject to public scrutiny,” the ministry stated, calling on the public to refrain from drawing conclusions based on unverified or speculative reports.
Draft Timeline
The Ministry of Justice also noted that work on the constitutional draft is ongoing, and that the draft is expected to be completed in the coming months, though it has not yet been finalized.
