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Since 2016, 72 programmes of the communities’ unification was carried out, as a result of unification of 908 communities, 72 communities were formed. Analyses were made in the united communities on the programme priorities of the community clusters, by which it became clear that the programme succeeded.

Hence, the Government made a legislative initiative for providing continuity of the administrative-territorial reforms, which proposes to form community clusters in a number of marzes.

According to the RA Deputy Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure Vache Terteryan, in the proposing programmes 13 communities, 141 settlements will be included, and 5 communities will be formed in the unification – Talin of Aragatsotn Marz, Chambarak of Gegharkunik Marz, Alaverdi of Lori Marz, Tashir of Lori Marz and Sisian of Syunik Marz of the Republic of Armenia.

The Council of Elders with the initiative will be able to hold any post in the Staff and head post in the organizations of community subordination.

According to the Deputy Minister, the proposing amendment is conditioned by the fact that the member of the Council of Elders of the community carries out the activities on a voluntary basis, and with the example of the persons holding state public post, banning the latter to do other paid work, the number of the persons pretending the post of the member of the Council of Elders, which will result in the decrease of the number of the members of the Council of Elders with professional abilities.

The institute of chief architects will be removed in the communities with the legislative initiative. Removing the implementation of some authorities of the Chief Architect of the community reserved by the rules an opportunity will be given to the architects’ professional groups to comprehensively and objectively discuss the urban development programmes and problems and give necessary architectural solutions.

The number of the secretaries and experts of the factions of the Council of Elders is specified depending on the number of the members of the Council of Elders of the faction, Accordingly, the faction with up to seven members will have one secretary, the faction with more than seven members – one secretary and one expert.

It is also proposed to clarify the scope of the officials with authority of convening and conducting the sitting of the Council of Elders. The Head of the community or his/her Acting Head have that authority in the functioning law. But it is not excluded that in the absence of the Head of the community need of convening a sitting of the Council of Elders will emerge, hence, according to the proposing regulation, the Chief of Staff of the community will be able also to moderate the sitting.

In the deputies’ opinion, the proposal for the Chief of Staff to moderate the sitting is problematic. According to Vache Terteryan, the issue can be discussed and find more expedient solution.

It is suggested to make ame4ndments to the law on the RA Administrative-Territorial Administration and in the enclosed package. The issue was debated at June 8 sitting of the NA Standing Committee on Territorial Administration, Local Self-Government, Agriculture and Environment and was endorsed.