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At September 17 sitting, the RA NA Standing Committee on Territorial Administration, Local Self-Government, Agriculture and Environment Protection debated in the first reading the legislative package on Making Amendments and Addenda to the Law on the RA Administrative-Territorial Division and on Making Addenda and Amendment to the law on Local Self-Government.

The RA Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructures Gnel Sanosyan presented the main changes, noting that, as a result of enlargement, we would have 78 communities, including Yerevan. According to the Minister, the enlargement of the communities has been studied,both the positive and negative sides have been taken into consideration, and a decision has been made to continue the started process. The experience of many years show that the most serious problems arise in case of the community population being less than 3000. Gnel Sanosyan has informed that in the new version of enlargement community big bouquets are designed.

According to the Minister, the enlargement will promote that the border communities won’t be emptied that all the children, regardless of residing in a big or small community, will have all the possibilities which their peers have.

The deputies voiced the risks of the communities’ enlargement, spoke about the expediency of the enlargement different models in the communities and emphasized the awareness of the population on the ongoing process.

In the Minister’s word, as a result of enlargement, the security problems would be solved at higher level. The purposeful use of the donations being provided by the state was highlighted, and the implementation of the subvention programmes was touched upon.

As a result of debates, the legislative package was endorsed by the Committee.