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At April 28 extraordinary sitting, the Parliament debated the legislative package authored by the NA deputy Vahagn Hovakimyan on Making Amendments and Addenda to the RA Criminal Code, on Making Amendments and Addenda to the RA Code on Administrative Offences and on Making Addendum to the RA Law on Citizenship.

The author informed that the proposed regulations are more completely presented in the reform of the Electoral Code. As it is possible that the package of the Electoral Code will not come into force during the upcoming parliamentary elections due to some developments, the necessary amendments have been separated in the form of certain bills until the start of the forthcoming elections. The consequence of invalidating the results of the polling station is envisaged as an aggravating norm in the impeded provision of the electoral processes. In case of impeding the campaign, criminal responsibility will be envisaged. The other regulation refers to the use or threat of violence at the polling station or near it.

As the co-rapporteur, the Deputy Minister of Justice Armen Hovhannisyan informed, the legislative package was debated in a working order. The proposals have been presented by the Government which according to the reached agreement should be debated after passing it in the first reading.

In the final speech, the key rapporteur Vahagn Hovakimyan referred to the expressed viewpoints. According to him, the aim of the draft law is to fight against all criminals: “The problem of the political forces which are in favor of free and fair elections is not to allow the criminals to ever succeed in Armenia”.

Hovakimyan urged the deputies to vote for the initiative.