Karen Andreasyan speaks about his resignation, thanks everyone for helping him accomplish his great mission
The third Ombudsman of the Republic of Armenia, Karen Andreasyan has issued a statement commenting on his resignation. "Respectable people of Armenia, Five years ago, when I was appointed to the only public official I ever wished to assume, I tried to present my expectations and motivations to public in the following lines: “As a lawyer‚ I believe‚ that people’s equality before the law is the most important principal. As a practical person‚ I also know‚ that this is one of the most difficultly implemented norms. As a realist‚ I have no doubt‚ that on a way of implementing this mission people more often become targets for criticism‚ than win admiration. But as an optimist‚ I believe‚ that ‘a drop taps the stone.’ Completing this stage of my complicated path, I want to sum up my mission in the same logic. As a idealist, my idealism was worn it in these years but it also helped me at the most difficult times. It is still preserved. It just became more informed and wiser. I have seen immense human kindness during the 5 years of my tenure, especially in people who were in the worst condition. As a practical person, I know that many today are waiting to hear one thing from me – a short and specific reason for my resignation. In recently days, I have heard both reasonable explanations and some preposterousness. The reason for my resignation is multi-layered and it is difficult to present it in a few words. Anyway, the shortest and the main reason is the following: if I stayed in office in 2016, this most important institution would no longer be as effective as it became as a result of many years of hard work and suffering. I imagine that evil-tongued people will start criticizing our work of the past years with greater fury than ever. At the same time I hope that this people will try to earn their daily bread by other methods. As a lawyer, I expect that all laws that will be adopted in 2016 as a result of the amended Constitution will be truly human-centered and in favor of human rights and will solve all problems which the present Constitution cannot handle. As an optimist, I hope that my children will grow up in Armenia where equality before the law will become unquestionable reality and there will not be a single shot by the enemy when my sons do their military service. Finally, I apologize to all those, whose expectations I failed to justify for some objective or subjective reasons. I thank the many people, who helped me undertake and then carry out this great mission of helping people, who have passed with me all tests and ordeals in the past five years. Best regards, Karen Andreasyan P.S. I ma going to tender a second resignation today." Pursuant Article 6 of the RA Law on Human Rights Defender, the responsibilities of the Ombudsman shall be terminated if he submits another resignation no later than ten days after submitting the first resignation. In case the resignation request is repeated, the Speaker of the National Assembly informs lawmakers about the termination of the Ombudsman’s responsibilities during the upcoming session of the Armenian Parliament.
