Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan received Claire Bazy Malaurie, President of the European Commission for Democracy through Law (Venice Commission).

The Prime Minister noted with satisfaction that the Government of Armenia is actively cooperating with the Council of Europe and the Venice Commission, aiming to continuously improve the quality of the legislative framework necessary for the strengthening of democracy, protection of human rights and the establishment of an independent judiciary. Nikol Pashinyan assessed the partnership with the PACE as effective, the recently adopted resolution of which records the normal and positive process of democratic reforms in Armenia, as well as the fact that the page of election fraud is closed. In the context of cooperation between the Government and European institutions, the Prime Minister also pointed out the consistent work with the ECHR on the return of Armenian prisoners of war, hostages and other detainees held in Azerbaijan after the 44-day war.

The President of the Venice Commission thanked for the appreciation, reaffirmed the readiness to support the democratic agenda of the Republic of Armenia, in order to make the legal regulations in our country as strong as possible.

The interlocutors exchanged views on the agenda of bilateral cooperation. The Prime Minister stressed that one of the Government's priorities remains the reform of the judiciary as a key institutional reform, for which continuous efforts to ensure the quality of justice, confidence in the judiciary, and social guarantees for judges are important. Claire Bazy Malaurie noted that she shares the view of the Prime Minister, and the Venice Commission will support the Government, the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Armenia in this process with its tools.

Issues related to the cooperation between the Professional Committee on Constitutional Reforms and the Venice Commission were discussed at the meeting.

The sides stressed the importance of involving civil society in the reform process.

Prime Minister Pashinyan noted that the Government is determined to implement the reform agenda, attaching importance the support of the Council of Europe and European structures on this path.