When is Constitution Day?
Constitution Day (Sahmanadrutyan or) is a public holiday in Armenia on July 5th each year.
This holiday commemorates the adoption of the post-Soviet constitution of Armenia on this day in 1995.
History of Constitution Day
Having gained its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, Armenia was still using the old 1978 Soviet constitution.
A new constitution was required. While a first draft was presented in 1992, internal political struggles in Armenia meant that the new constitution was not put to a national referendum until July 5th 1995.
The constitution established Armenia as a democratic, sovereign, social, and constitutional state with Yerevan defined as the state's capital.
Since 1995, the constitution has been amended twice following national referendums in 2005 and 2015.
In 2018, a Velvet Revolution took place in Armenia with a younger generation, headed by Nikol Pashinyan, coming to power. The plan was to change the constitution again. A national referendum was planned for April 2020, though that is now on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Since 2017, after an amendment made to the Law on Holidays and Memorial Days, July 5th is also the Day of State Symbols. The state symbols are the flag, the emblem and the anthem.
