The current authorities have set a clear objective — to reproduce themselves and remain in power indefinitely. According to lawyer Yervand Varosyan, all actions of the ruling force are directed toward this goal, while effective checks on power are largely absent in Armenia.
He argues that neither internal nor external mechanisms of restraint are functioning in the country. “There is no institution capable of holding back the hand of power,” he noted. Typically, such mechanisms are either embedded in the Constitution through a system of checks and balances or arise through external pressures. In Armenia, he suggests, neither of these mechanisms operates effectively.
Varosyan is convinced that the current Constitution is structured in a way that enables continuous reproduction of power. “If not for the existing regulations, we would already know that Nikol Pashinyan’s time in power would be limited to a maximum of two more years,” he said. He recalled that under the previous constitutional framework, leadership would have been limited to ten years, whereas current rules allow for an indefinite extension.
He also emphasized that the Constitution sends a clear signal to the state apparatus, including law enforcement bodies, that the current власти are permanent, encouraging unconditional compliance with directives.
“If officials knew that the leader would leave in two years, they would not comply so readily. There would be resistance, as they would consider the risk of future accountability,” Varosyan stressed.
According to his assessment, power is now effectively concentrated in the hands of a single individual. “It appears that we have become a parliamentary country where power has shifted to the legislature, yet the parliament itself does not function independently. There is one person whose decisions the parliament cannot refuse,” he said.
Varosyan considers discussions about genuine parliamentarism in Armenia to be unconvincing. In a classical system, a party selects its leader and prime ministerial candidate, whereas in Armenia the process is reversed — one individual compiles electoral lists and determines key decisions.
Regarding the judiciary, he noted that the National Assembly effectively appoints members of the Supreme Judicial Council, which in turn shapes the functioning of the courts. As a result, no real checks remain, and institutions act primarily as executors of власть.
“On one hand, everyone has become an executor; on the other, everyone understands that there is no time limit. This situation can continue indefinitely,” Varosyan concluded.