On October 16 the Chairperson of the NA Standing Committee on European Integration Ms. Naira Zohrabyan received CoE Secretary General’s Special Representative Ms Silvia Zehe. During the meeting issues regarding the CoE-Armenia relations, draft law on Freedom of Conscience and Religious Organizations, legislative regulation of the activity of the mass media, as well as the upcoming forum in Sweden, which will refer to the problems of creating Parliamentary Assembly within the framework of the Eastern Partnership programme, where the Chairperson of the NA Standing Committee on European Integration will take part.

Ms. Naira Zohrabyan highlighted the joint work with CoE, which as she reported, in respect of the functions of the committee was also envisaged by the law of Rules of Procedure. She said that by the status of the working group adjunct to the committee, an experts’ group had already been formed from the representatives from the civil society and NGOs being involved in European Integration, the goal of which was to make the NA Standing Committee on European Integration a specific center.

Touching upon the conclusion of the Venice Commission on the revised version of the draft law on Freedom of Conscience and Religious Organizations, Ms. Zohrabyan, as a co-author of the draft law noted that they tried to revise the draft law within the framework of conceptual several items: it should be complied with revised Constitution, be stemmed from the interests of the national security and it should express certain attitude towards destructive sects, naturally, not violating in any way the right and freedom of adhering to other religion. The Committee Chairperson also informed the guest that in connection with that she had met the Catholicos of All Armenians, heads of different religious communities and had specified their position. Highlighting the proposals of the experts of the Venice Commission, Ms. Zohrabyan said that in connection with this issue together with the NA Standing Committee on the Protection of Human Rights and Public Affairs discussions would be organized later, expressing hope that in those discussions the experts of the Venice Commission also would attend. CoE Secretary General’s Special Representative Ms Sylvia Zehe proposed her support in organizing such discussions.

At the guest’s request, touching upon the legislative regulations of the activity of the mass media, Ms. Naira Zohrabyan expressed conviction that the legislation regulating the sphere needs reforms, which supposes wide and concerning discussion.

CoE Secretary General’s Special Representative Ms Sylvia Zehe was also interested in the conclusion of NA Ad-hoc Inquiry Committee into the Events Occurred on 1 March. Ms. assessed the conclusion objective and balanced, underlining that the Committee presented a consensus conclusion. Ms. Zohrabyan promised to provide the English version of the conclusion of the March 1 Committee in the nearest future to the Secretary General’s Special Representative.

The Chairperson of the NA Standing Committee on European Integration also touched upon the upcoming works. She said that after several days she would leave for Sweden, where she would take part in the discussion of creating a parliamentary format within the framework of the Eastern Partnership programme between EU Eastern Neighbourhood partners Armenia, Azerbaijan, Moldova, Ukraine, Georgia and Belarus. According to Ms. Zohrabyan, the Assembly would be doomed to collapse if there is no atmosphere of trust and cooperation. She will propose Euronest to abstain from the discussion of the conflicts, which, as to her, from the beginning the works will lead to deadlock. The Committee Chairman recorded with regret that Azerbaijan consistently makes statements in written form and orally against any cooperation within the framework of the Eastern Partnership: in particular, during the discussion of the issue of the joint governance of the borders because of Azerbaijan’s non-constructive position that cooperation has turned into Armenia-Georgia and Georgia-Azerbaijan, and, in fact, has not promoted its main goal: the regional cooperation. Ms. Naira Zohrabyan finds that if Azerbaijan continues that policy, then the cooperation will not have the future, which is expected. In the Committee Chairperson’s opinion, we should find common problems of discussion: environmental, regional, ecological and other problems, which contain in them common interest and we should try to lead the cooperation on that plane.