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The adoption of the draft law is conditioned by the necessity to fill some gaps in the current law, to raise the institutional level of preservation and protection of the monuments, as well as to have legislative fixations in line with the international obligations assumed by Armenia in the field of preservation of cultural values. The deputy of the NA Armenia Faction Lilit Galstyan said this, presenting for debate the revised draft law on Making Amendments and Addenda to the RA Law on Preservation and Use of Immovable Monuments of History and Culture and Historical Environment.

The Law of the Republic of Armenia on the Preservation and Use of Immovable Monuments of History and Culture and Historical Environment was adopted in 1998 and in the passing period it has been revised several times, a number of amendments and addenda have been made. However, the field is in the procedure of continuous development, and there is a need to regulate the legal relations and to more specify them. The author informed that in the sphere Armenia ratified 6 UNESCO conventions, its 3 protocols and 1 agreement. In particular, our country joined The Hague Convention of 1954 for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict, its first protocol of 1993 and the second protocol of 2006. The Convention and its two protocols bind the parties “to respect the cultural properties being on their and other parties, forbidding the use of their immediate environment and the protective structures for the purposes, which can result in destruction or damage of those properties.” It was noted that proposing this and other amendments will make the law consonant with the assumed obligations, as well as will make some specifications in the competencies of the Government and the authorized body.

Lilit Galstyan presented the proposing amendments, by which, particularly the preservation and the use of the monuments for political, ideological, religious, racist, ethnic and national discrimination is forbidden.

The use and transformation of the immediate and preservation of the monuments during the armed conflict or war operations for the purposes that can result in the destruction or damage of the monument is forbidden.

The Deputy Chair of the Committee NA Standing Committee on Science, Education, Culture, Diaspora, Youth and Sport Taguhi Ghazaryan presented the endorsement of the Committee.

During the Q&A session and exchange of ideas, the deputies considered welcoming the legislative initiative, presented proposals, were interested in the issues of preservation of monuments, the preservation of their restoration rules, the authenticity, emphasized the availability of signs near the monuments.

In this context, the Chair of the NA Standing Committee on State and Legal Affairs Vladimir Vardanyan noticed that, for example, Euro windows appear on some medieval monuments. “In terms of authenticity, this is a very serious problem. How to preserve the problem of authenticity?” the deputy asked, also noting that new buildings are constructed on the territory of the Echmiadzin Cathedral. How does the state react to those problems? “You address to a very, very painful theme, as there are monuments, fortresses, castles of early medieval period on the territory of the Republic of Armenia, which on time because of reinforcing with modern and plaster have lost their value in the sense that could be registered on the list humankind monuments, and it is an irreparable damage,” the co-rapporteur clarified. Taguhi Ghazaryan clarified that it is a very painful problem, and this draft will not solve this problem. According to her, regulations were accepted on that issue on the previous year, when complete draft law was brought, by which the restoration issues are regulated. However, the deputy noted that here there is an issue of administration and possibilities, which is very limited.

The RA Deputy Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport Alfred Kocharyan presented the positive opinion of the Government on the revised initiative, but noting the necessity to review some parts.

In her final speech Lilit Galstyan referred to the voiced question and proposals, gave clarifications and mentioned the current problems in the sphere.