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On April 30 the President of the National Assembly Hovik Abrahamyan met with the pupils and teachers of Yerevan B. Zhamkochian N 119 Senior School.

Hovik Abrahamyan welcomed the visit of the pupils and students to the Parliament, which had become regular since 2008 due to “Open Lesson” programme. On the one hand, it gives an opportunity to teenagers and young people to get acquainted with the work of the legislative body of the country and the deputies, on the other hand, the higher political figures of the Parliament listen to the problems concerning the young people and their opinions on this or that issue.

The NA President detailed for the schoolchildren the structure, functions, the peculiarities of the proportional-majoritarian electoral system, as well as talked about the co-relation of the opposition and power political forces in the Parliament. Hovik Abrahamyan deemed important the role of the opposition in the Parliament, noting that the existence of a strong opposition and pluralism promote only the efficiency of the parliamentary activity.

The Head of the legislative body presented to the young people the state inner and external priorities, described the participation and role of the National Assembly in the solution of the prior problems. In the words of the Head of the Parliament, there are many things to do in solving social problems, fighting against emigration, and enlivening the economy. The NA President noted that after the presidential, parliamentary and Yerevan Elders’ elections it was the most convenient moment for reforms, and expressed conviction that the authorities and the Government to be newly formed will make use of that moment. In this context the NA President deemed as an important tool the oversight function of the parliament, noting the necessity of fully applying it.

Among the external problems Hovik Abrahamyan distinguished some of them. He informed the schoolchildren about the process of the settlement of the Karabakh conflict, the OSCE Minsk Group dimension, and three principles, quoted examples of self-determination, which had become a reality. To the NA President’s assessment, the parliamentary delegations work very actively in the international structures and frequently unite the efforts to take steps by the executive body for fighting against Azerbaijani disinformation and lobbying. The NA President touched upon the recognition of the Armenian Genocide and expressed conviction that Turkey would once be forced to recognize that fact. According to the Speaker, in the conditions of closed borders and the lack of communication the economy of Armenia suffers a lot, and the Armenian-Turkish protocols and the establishment of diplomatic relations, would have opened a direct road to Europe for our country, if Turkey had not advanced preconditions. The attendees addressed a question to the NA President about involving other parties, coalition model of governance. Hovik Abrahamyan has noticed that though the RPA has the majority in the parliament, however during the recent years it also gives an opportunity to the other parties to take part in the governing of the country. The NA President considered right the coalition system, taking into account, of course, the nomination of professional human resources.

The NA President also listened to the teachers’ concerns, proposed the Chairman of the NA Standing Committee on Science, Education, Culture, Youth and Sport Artak Davtyan, who was attending the meeting, to refer to the raised issues and offer solution.