Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan attended the event dedicated to the judiciary of Armenia. The event was also attended by President of the Republic Vahagn Khachaturyan, President of the Constitutional Court Arman Dilanyan, President of the Supreme Judicial Council Artur Atabekyan, and representatives of the legislative, executive and judicial spheres.

Welcoming those present, the Prime Minister noted that there are many dilemmas in our country and understandably a certain part of these dilemmas is related to the judicial system and more intensive work is needed to address those dilemmas. According to Nikol Pashinyan, there are certain formulas at the political and public levels that everyone needs to answer. “Because in our reality, there may actually be such questions as, for example, whether legality is justice, whether justice is fairness, whether justice is truth, whether truth is reality. These are questions that may seem very theoretical and philosophical, but in reality these questions have a real impact on the real lives of real people, including the daily work of the executive branch,” the Prime Minister said.

The Prime Minister noted that when communicating with colleagues, he is constantly trying to form a perception of a problem that the Government of the Republic of Armenia feels on its own skin. “I must admit that I feel it myself, because in Armenia there is a somewhat subjective, in some respects also understandable perception that questions about the situation of justice and fairness are mainly and largely addressed to the Government and are largely addressed to the Prime Minister personally. Why is this person detained, why is that person not detained, why is this person convicted, why is that person not convicted, why was this verdict made and why was that verdict not made?

No one thinks of going to the judges, to the judicial system, to ask those questions and get answers. Everyone comes to the Government for those questions, they turn to the political authorities, and this can in some sense be perceived as a result of a misunderstanding of the work of the state system. But on the other hand, there is reality and objectivity here, because nevertheless, it is the political authorities who, during the elections, outline the tasks that the state administration system must implement and accomplish in the coming period," noted Nikol Pashinyan, adding that our current state administration system has an important peculiarity.

The Prime Minister emphasized that no other state body goes to the people from time to time and answers questions in front of them, especially today, when the national elections concern only the formation of the legislative and, as a result, the executive branch. "I must tell you directly, esteemed colleagues and esteemed judges, this is the precise reality, I am the one who answers all the questions that are addressed to you. I am not saying this for any conclusion, I am saying it as a reality, regarding which we must also adopt a position whether it is right that it is so, or is it wrong that it is so? If it is right that it is so, then you must help me so that I give answers to those questions. If it is wrong that it is so, then you must help me so that those questions are not addressed to me," the Prime Minister said.

At the same time, the Prime Minister emphasized that there are textbook truths that must be constantly recorded. Without an independent judicial system, it is impossible to imagine the development of the state, without independent judicial system it is impossible to imagine the development of the economy. Nikol Pashinyan noted that yesterday, in the presence of the President of the Republic, representatives of the Government and the legislative branch discussed strategic issues of Armenia's economy and Armenia's development in general for a whole day, because the Government's perception is unequivocal: the development of Armenia means the development of Armenia's economy, there is no other interpretation.

"And discussions in all directions led to the idea that no matter what program the Government implements, whatever economic formula it introduces, the implementation of any formula is impossible if there is no independent judicial system, if there is no judicial system that inspires confidence in every citizen, every economic entity, that he can manage the potential risks that may arise in partnership relations, because we are talking about investments․ When does a person invest somewhere? When he calculates his risks and considers that these risks are manageable. Having certain contradictions and conflicting situations, misunderstandings and doubts with potential partners is one of the most unpredictable and great risks that can exist in the field of economic activity. In which case will a person say, I take that risk and make this investment, I undertake this business? Only if he is convinced that if problems arise, there is a place that he will go and solve that problem, if he has acted within the rules and if they acted against him within the rules," the Prime Minister said, adding that if this belief is not present, investments and economic development will not take place and vice versa, resources from Armenia will flow to other places.

Nikol Pashinyan emphasized that he is not saying that this is the only factor for Armenia’s development, but that this is one of the cornerstone factors for Armenia’s development, and the understanding that an independent judicial system is one of the key prerequisites for Armenia’s development is, in fact, a genetic truth within the government, an unquestionable truth.

According to the Prime Minister, the next question that arises is the interpretation of this understanding: from whom is the judicial system independent? “This is also very important: from whom is the judicial system independent? I have always been of the belief that the judicial system cannot be independent of the people in the sense that the people are the source of generation of any power in Armenia. The people are the source of generation of legislative power, the people are the source of generation of executive power, the people are the source of generation of power of local self-government bodies, and the people should also be the source of generation of the judicial system. Every place has its own mechanism. But when I think about why this rupture is still there, which, by the way, I say, is a different question - to what extent is it objective and subjective? The same goes for corruption, because when we also discuss in the political team the reason why the very great perception of the initial period following the revolution, that corruption is disappearing, has disappeared from Armenia, why is that perception not there today? Is it because we have become corrupt? But we understand that the perception of corruption is more important, of course, also objectively that perception is formed from certain cases, including the activities of law enforcement bodies, which also operate within the framework of the political will of the Government," the Prime Minister said.

According to Nikol Pashinyan, today, including current officials are being arrested, detained, convicted, and this shapes perception. According to the Prime Minister, this means that this perception is not completely disconnected from reality. Therefore, according to the Prime Minister, the question arises: why is the sense of justice and fairness in the Republic of Armenia, at least incomplete, because, according to the Prime Minister, we also have a problem with the organic connection of justice and fairness with the only source of power in Armenia, the people.

"And in my opinion, we have not yet been able to solve this political problem, and I think that this problem is waiting for a solution. But this is the case where the Government and the legislative branch alone cannot solve this problem. The problem of all of us is make the people of the Republic of Armenia believe in their state, and the people of the Republic of Armenia will believe in their state if they believe in their self-government bodies, if they believe in their legislative branch, if they believe in their executive branch, if they believe in their judicial branch. This is the point where, no matter how separate the different branches of government are, they have a common problem. That problem is to have an organic connection with the people and their aspirations, and I am not saying that the authorities should immediately implement the people's aspirations and perceptions. If we thought so, after the 2018 revolution, we would not have followed the path of institutional development. I am grateful that it was shown what investment the Government has made recently, including in the field of justice, but we would have gone in the way of implementing the aspirations of the people that would be destructive for our state. In other words, it would be a blow from which our state would not be able to recover," the Prime Minister said.

Nikol Pashinyan emphasized that they have followed the path of institutional development, and the investment that has been made in the development of institutions, these investments should return to the people in the form of faith in their own state. According to the Prime Minister, there is a problem in the world in general, especially in the field of justice, when justice is considered more accessible to the so-called elites than to ordinary people. This, according to the Prime Minister, also has objective reasons, because justice depends on how much a person has the opportunity to use professional legal services, to use the services of a defense attorney.

"And this exists, this is a reality that is difficult to overcome even in the most developed countries, but taking into account our specificities, we must have a more complete perception every day and take more concrete steps so as not to create the impression that justice and fairness are available only to the elites. And on the contrary, the ordinary citizen of the Republic of Armenia does not have the opportunity, theoretical or practical chance, to take advantage of it. The government has set itself a task, and I would like to share that task with you as well. We must reach the point where justice and fairness in the Republic of Armenia are synonymous, truth and justice are synonymous, legality, justice and truth are synonymous. And on this foundation, a reality should be built that should deepen, strengthen and make permanent the faith of the citizens of the Republic of Armenia in their own homeland, their own state," the Prime Minister noted, expressing gratitude to all those judges who are guided by this logic and who are willing to undertake this mission of equating justice with fairness and truth.

"I believe that I am speaking to just such an audience and I want to thank all of you and all of us for the efforts made in this direction, wish you success in achieving success in this endeavor and in continuously strengthening the faith of our people in their own state and future," the Prime Minister concluded.