At October 25 sitting the MPs continued the debate of the draft amendments to the Electoral Code.

The MP Mr. Hamlet Harutyunyan hopes, that free, fair and transparent elections will be held, and it is incorrect to create positive and negative stereotypes beforehand. The MP Mr. Koryun Arakelyan characterized the parliamentary and presidential elections as a choice of the people’s future and destiny. Mr. Hovhannes Margaryan touched upon the issues of the voting procedure of the conscripts, movable voting ballot boxes, formations of the electoral commissions by a parity principle, observers’ participation, training and attestation of the members of electoral committees. Mr. Margaryan reminded that the Orinats Yerkir (OY) faction supports the 100% of proportional electoral system if it becomes a subject of speculation the OY will take its signature back.

The point of view of ULP faction sounded the head of the faction G. Arsenyan, stating that the trust of people to the authorities has reduced recently, there is a barrier between the citizens and authorities, and the barrier needs to be abolished for the citizens to understand that they are those to form the power.

According to Mr. Aleksan Karapetyan, the secretary of the National Unity faction by passing to a 100% electoral system the bribes and falsifications of elections will decrease, the voters’ moral and psychological condition will be stabilized and the responsibility of the parties will be increased towards the future of the country.

The secretary of the OY faction Heghineh Bisharyan finds unacceptable rigging of elections in the educational institutions when the social condition compels the teachers for violating the terms of election.

In the opinion of the secretary of the Entrepreneur deputy group  Mr. M. Mkhitaryan, the tendency of the proposed amendments to the Electoral Code is the improvement of the quality of elections and the Code. It has been noted, that the Entrepreneur deputy group  will vote for the draft.

Mr. Hrayr Karapetyan, head of the ARF faction presented the point of the view of the faction. The head of the faction said that the proportional and majoritarian correlation of 90/41 is a progress for further transition to 100% of proportional electoral order. It was noted that the ARF faction’s point of view of having absolutely proportional electoral system is of principle and has not been changed, but they are against of its imitation discussions. The faction also considers the political consent important.

Grigor Harutyunyan, secretary of the Ardarutiun faction noted that the faction is against the draft. He emphasized the importance of the presence of the opposition’s representative in the leadership of the committee.

Mr. Hakob Hakobyan expressed the view of the People’s Deputy group. It was informed that the view of the People’s Deputy group will be expressed during the voting.

Mr. Tigran Torosyan, President of the National Assembly in his extraordinary speech touched upon the sounded views. In his estimation from the legislators’ speeches an impression is created that the Martians should write the Electoral Code, and the MPs have only to express their dissatisfaction. Touching upon the sounded idea that “with the bad law it is possible to hold good elections,” the President of the National Assembly Mr. Tigran Torosyan said that no one has the right to hide the unwillingness of executing one’s duties by similar expressions. “The Parliament is obliged to make good laws and hold successful elections.” It is inadmissible not to work on the Electoral Code, being guided by similar slogans. It means not to carry out the responsibilities and nothing else,” said Mr. Torosyan. Speaking about the necessity of the amendments of the Electoral Code, the President of the Parliament considered absurd those statements that the Code is amended for falsifications. In Mr. Tigran Torosyan's opinion, one should not incessantly complain from his/her destiny, but to present constructive proposals for making reforms in the Code. It was informed that an attempt of amending the Code in 2005, stayed uncompleted yet, and in January it has been circulated.“Our duty is to help our colleagues, to have joint discussions and correct the shortcomings as, eventually every preliminary draft always has shortcomings. Certainly, there were shortcomings, and the shortcomings being spoken thousands of times, neither are eliminated nor the future elections are improved. There is only one way – the Electoral Code, which regulates theelectoral processes.”Talking on the elections being conducted through majoritarian and proportional system, the President of the National Assembly noted that there is not an article in the draft, which amend the majoritarian and proportional correlation as when forming and signing the draft the political forces agreed on the framework of the issues. Mr. Tigran Torosyan proposed all the interested sides to offer proposals during the period between the first and the second readings.“I am optimistic and I believe that in the Parliament there are people who have signed the document, have worked and are going to work to improve the Electoral Code as much as it is possible, in order to have good elections,” concluded the President of the Parliament.

Mr. Rafik Petrosyan, the Chairman of the Standing Committee on State and Legal Affairs of the National Assembly, and co author of the draft Samvel Nikoyan, in their final speeches assured that all the comprehensive proposals will be discussed during the period between the first and the second readings

The draft on Making Addendum to the RA Law on Social Protection of the Children Without Parental Care the MPs debated for the second reading, which submitted Mrs. Hranush Hakobyan, Chairwoman of the Standing Committee on Science, Education, Culture and Youth of the National Assembly.

The drafts on Alienation of the Property for the Public and State Needs, on Making Amendments to the RA Land Code and on Making Amendments to the RA Civil Code submitted for the first reading Davit Harutyunyan, Minister of Justice.

Co-author Mr. Rafik Petrosyan, the Chairman of the Standing Committee on State and Legal Affairs, presented the endorsement of the draft.

According to the Rules of Procedure of the National Assembly, the last sitting was allotted to the questions – answers of the MPs-Government.

The National Assembly will carry on its work on October 26.