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On April 1, the National Assembly convened an extraordinary sitting. The draft law on Making Addendum to the Law on Local Self-Government authored by the deputies Vahagn Hovakimyan, Vladimir Vardanyan and Arpine Davoyan was on the agenda.

Before debating the agenda item, the deputy Zemfira Mirzoeva, who is a representative of the Assyrian community, congratulated the Assyrians on the occasion of the Assyrian New Year - Kha b’Nissan, wishing them peace, health and prosperity. The deputies joined the congratulation.

Presenting the legislative proposal, the co-author of the bill Vahagn Hovakimyan noted that after the last elections of the local self-government bodies, the government of the local self-government bodies is disrupted in some enlarged communities, which is the reason for the urgency of the adoption of the draft. The deputy has clarified that, for example, the sitting of electing the head of Vanadzor community does not take place for a long time by the decision of the court, as a result of which, the newly elected the Council of Elders cannot convene a sitting.

It is envisaged that if the first sitting of the Council of Elders of the community united by law is not convened within twenty days from the moment of assuming the powers of the Council of Elders or the powers of that Council of Elders are prematurely terminated in accordance with Article 69.2 of the Law on Local Self-Government, then the RA Prime Minister shall appoint the Acting Head of the community, until assuming the powers of the newly elected head of the community established by law.

The RA Deputy Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure Vache Terteryan noted that the Government endorsed the initiative.

The deputies of the opposition factions expressed an opinion that the security issues of our country should be debated today, not the amendments to the legislation of the local self-government bodies.

Touching upon the concerns voiced, the co-author of the bill Vladimir Vardanyan stated that the biggest danger that may arise inside the country and create external challenges may be the vacuum of the authority. “This problem will not arise in cases, when we have enlarged proportionally formed communities,” Vladimir Vardanyan said. According to him, the initiative aims at strengthening the internal security and finding a solution in unforeseen cases.

Referring to the concerns of the opposition deputies that the issue related to the legislation of the local self-government bodies is not on the agenda, the RA NA President Alen Simonyan reminded that the security issue will be a priority until it is resolved, but it does not mean that that the state should not act.

The parliament adopted the debated bill in the first reading with 57 votes in favor and 4 votes against.

The NA Armenia Faction did not take part in voting.

After adopting the draft law in the first reading, its debate was organized in the second reading.

The co-author of the initiative Vahagn Hovakimyan informed that editorial amendments were made in the first to the second reading. The proposals of the Armenia Faction were not endorsed.

The draft law was debated and endorsed in the second reading at the sitting of the NA Standing Committee on Territorial Administration, Local Self-Government, Agriculture and Environment Protection. The Committee Chair Vahe Ghalumyan said about it and called on his colleagues to vote in favor of it.

The draft law on Making Addendum to the Law on Local Self-Government Bodies authored by the deputies Vahagn Hovakimyan, Vladimir Vardanyan and Arpine Davoyan was fully adopted in the second reading.

Covering the agenda, the parliament ended the work of the extraordinary sitting.