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The draft law on the RA Environmental Protection Service proposes to regulate the relations regarding the features of the environmental protection service of the state authorized body performing the functions of state control over the application of legislation in state forests, forest lands and specially protected areas of nature.

The RA Minister of Environment Hakob Simidyan, while presenting the regulations proposed by the legislative package at the NA extraordinary sitting, detailed the priority of establishing such a service, that is, it is proposed to amend the existing 8-hour service to 24-hour. According to the Minister, the 8-hour service contains risks. It is proposed to separate the positions of 506 employees of Hayantar SNCO and 345 employees of National Parks Protection and establish a new service with around 1176 employees.

In the Q&A session, the MP Gegham Nazaryan inquired whether the service will have sufficient financial resources and whether there will be equal control over both small and large tree fellers in the fight against tree felling. The Minister Hakob Simidyan stated that there are planned budget allocations for arming the service, the support of the international partners is also expected.

In response to the MP Arman Ghazaryan’s question, the Minister explained that according to preliminary data, the service will need 5 billion drams. The final calculation will be possible when the structure is approved by the sub-legislative act.

The deputy Artsvik Minasyan, emphasizing the initiative and the circumstance of having a quality service, noted that a number of fundamental questions remain unanswered with the presented package, for example, the issues of exercising the rights of arresting and depriving the person who committed a violation, cooperating with the police, not violating the rights of citizens, etc.

Presenting the viewpoint of the RA NA Armenia Faction, Artsvik Minasyan underlined that, yes, there is no proper conservation system for forest areas and lands. Referring to the features of protection of water basins, biological monuments, specially protected areas, the Secretary of the Faction highlighted the clarification of the functions of the service so that the system works effectively.

In his final speech, Hakob Simidyan addressed the voiced concerns.