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The draft law on Making Addenda and Amendments to the RA Code on Administrative Offenses is aimed at increasing public and administrative responsibility for the preservation, use and protection of immovable monuments of nature, history and culture in Armenia.

The author of the initiative, the deputy of Armenia Faction Lilit Galstyan proposes to increase the amount of administrative penalties defined by Articles 94 and 95 of the Code, as well as to establish appropriate regulations in cases when the same violation is committed a second time within six months.

In case of violation of the regime of specially protected nature areas, it is planned to double the amount of existing administrative penalties, making the amount of the fine for citizens from eighty times to one hundred and fifty times, and for officials - three hundred times.

If the same violation is committed again within 6 months, citizens will be fined two hundred times the minimum salary, and officials will be fined three hundred and fifty times.

The author also proposes to double the amount of the fine in case of violation of the rules of preservation and use of historical and cultural monuments with addenda to the Code.

Justifying the necessity for amendments and answering the deputies’ questions, Liit Galstyan noted: “Because of the lack of oversight mechanisms over the monuments, as well as the improper use of the existing ones, the procedures for the preservation of historical and natural monuments are undermined.” The author expressed hope that the amendments will contribute to the reduction of existing violations.

The rapporteur also talked about the fines in several countries.

According to Lilit Galstyan, the responsibility for preserving the heritage of cultural monuments cannot be limited only to imposing administrative fines. The deputy mentioned that in the future she will propose to make appropriate addenda to the Criminal Code as well.

The member of the NA Standing (Head) Committee on Science, Education, Culture, Diaspora, Youth and Sport Narek Babayan presented the endorsement of the plenary sitting. He urged his colleagues to vote for the initiative.

The Deputy Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport Alfred Kocharyan presented the positive position of the Government. The rapporteur considered it possible to revise the amount of fines proposed by the draft in the future.

The issue was debated in the first reading at June 13 NA sitting.