On the initiative of the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Environment of the National Assembly, on September 29, Governor of Gegharkunik province, Heads of communities, representatives of state departments and NGOs were invited to the parliament to discuss the use of the lands adjacent to the Sevan National Park.

Mr. Khachik Harutyunyan, chairman of the committee said that the heads of 56 communities applied to Mr. Hovik Abrahamyan, President of the National Assembly, with a request to review the Decision #1563 of December 18, 2008 of the Government. According to that decision, some areas out of the border of Sevan National Park were considered urban activity special regulation objects and the right of alienation, building and use of those areas was allocated for the inter-department administration, created by another decision of the Government. As presented by Mr. Bagrat Kroyan, Director of the Architecture Division at the Gegharkunik Regional Administration's Department of Urban Construction, the mentioned areas are considered community property or property of the citizens and physical entities. According to him the use of mentioned areas causes additional difficulties for the owners. The representative of the regional administration expressed the opinion that the very demand of the Government’s decision contradicts the land Code and the Law on Local Self-Government.

Ms. Ruzanna Alaverdyan, Deputy Minister of Urban Development, said that the draft, interesting those present, was already in circulation.

Those present also talked on issues related to environmental protection and social issues of the province.

Listening to the concerns and clarifications of those present, Mr. Khachik Harutyunyan, Chairman of the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Environment of the National Assembly, expressed readiness of once again discussing the issue at the forthcoming meeting and find possible solutions.