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On February 19, on the initiative of the RA NA Standing Committee on Defense and Security a working discussion on the draft law on Disaster Risk Management and Defense of Population was held, where representatives from the RA Ministry of Emergency Situations (MES), the Crisis Management State Academy, the UN Armenia Office, the experts, the lawyers and the MPs took part.

The Chair of the RA NA Standing Committee on Defense and Security Andranik Kocharyan has noted that he highlights the effective cooperation with the relevant departments in the reduction of disaster risk and management. According to him, voluminous work has been done and the discussion in such format will promote having a perfect bill.

Presenting the main principles of the draft law the Chancellor of the MES Crisis Management State Academy, General-Mayor Hamlet Matevosyan noted that during many years a demand of forming new approaches arose. The draft law specifies the bases of population defense, announcing state of emergency, the conditions and order, the authorities of the RA Government, the state management system, the local self-government bodies and organizations, the citizens’ rights and obligations. The speaker underlined three important directions: the reduction of disaster risks, the quick response in emerged situations, and the implementation of the works directed to the post-disaster restoration. Touching upon the provision on announcement ‘state of emergency’ regime, he has noted that it is demand of time.

According to the Project Coordinator of the UNDP Disaster Risk Reduction Armen Chilingaryan, the experience of a number of leading countries and the relevant legislation has been studied.

The speakers referred to the mapping of risk zones, definitions ‘state of emergency,’ ‘emergency situation,’ ‘operative actions,’ ‘urgent accident-restoring works,’ the Volunteers’ Institute, the issues on structural changes being expected in the departments.

Summing up the discussion the Chair of the RA NA Standing Committee on Defense and Security Andranik Kocharyan has informed that in the near future working discussions are designed to hold in the RA NA Standing Committee on Territorial Administration, Local Self-Government, Agriculture and Environment.

Parliamentary hearings on the draft law will also be organized.