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By the decision of the RA NA Speaker Ararat Mirzoyan, pursuant to Article 100 of the Constitution and Article 41 of the Constitutional Law the ‘Rules of Procedure of the National Assembly,’ on March 20, the National Assembly convened an extraordinary sitting, having on the agenda the package of the draft laws on Making Addendum to the RA Criminal Code and on Making Addenda to the RA Code on Administrative Offences.

The parliament by voting passed the NA draft decision on Special Procedure of Debate of the Agenda Item of the Extraordinary Sitting of the RA National Assembly convened on 20 March 2020, by which the second reading of the item would be organized on Monday at 11:00 am.

The RA Deputy Minister Vahe Danielyan presented the legislative package in the first reading procedure. He conditioned the necessity of the review and the adoption of the package by the state of emergency declared in the country. The draft laws propose to establish administrative accountability - fine in the amount of three-hundred-fold to five-hundred-fold of the fixed minimum salary in the event of violating the demands of isolation or self-isolation. The violation of isolation or self-isolation demands, which by negligence has caused people’s mass getting ill, is punished by detention for 3 months or imprisonment maximum for 5 years.

By the designed addendum, the violation of the restrictions for the publication or dissemination of the information established during the state of emergency by physical and juridical persons shall cause appointment of fine in the amount of fifty-fold to three hundred-fold of the minimum salary.

On behalf of the RA NA Bright Armenia Faction Edmon Marukyan delivered a speech. According to the Head of the Faction, it is necessary to clarify what concretely causes panic. He has presented the list of the countries where there is no censorship during the state of emergency. Edmon Marukyan raised the issue of the creditors who appeared in irresistible situation. He has noted that the bill needs legal regulations, so the Faction will present recommendations in written form.

In his concluding speech, the Deputy Minister of Justice Vahe Danielyan has touched upon the MPs’ voiced questions and has stressed that the demands get changed minute-by-minute stemming from the demands.

102 MPs voted for the draft law. The parliament will continue the work of the extraordinary sitting on 23 March at 11:00 am.