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By the decision of the RA NA Speaker Hovik Abrahamyan, under the Article 70 of the RA Constitution, on the initiative of the RA Government, on December 20, 2013 at 12:00 an extraordinary session of the RA National Assembly was convened with the agenda established by the initiator.

The NA Speaker Hovik Abrahamyan put for voting the NA draft decisions on special procedure of holding an extraordinary session and special order of the debate of a number of laws, which were passed by the National Assembly.

The First Deputy of the RA President’s Chief of Staff Vardan Aramyan presented the package of draft laws “On Amending the RA Law on State Duty” and “On Amending the RA Law on Gambling and Casinos,” returned to the National Assembly by the RA President’s objection.

Then the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Armen Movsisyan submitted for the deputies’ consideration the agreement “On Purchase and Sale of the Shares of the ArmRusGasard CJSC and Its Further Activity between the Government of the Republic of Armenia and Government of the Russian Federation” signed in Yerevan on December 2, 2013.

The NA deputies Tevan Poghsoyan, Hakob Hakobyan, Naira Zohrabyan, Alexander Arzumanyan, Ruben Hakobyan, Artsvik Minasyan, Nikol Pashinyan, Gurgen Arsenyan, Mikayel Melkumyan, Stepan Margaryan, Davit Harutyunyan, Armen Rustamyan, Aram Manukyan, Zaruhi Postanjyan expressed their viewpoints both on the agreement and their concerns on some provisions. The deputies Artashes Geghamyan, Artak Davtyan, Khosrov Harutyunyan, Hovhannes Margaryan introduced their positive stance and noted that some provisions of the agreements needed clarification.

The NA Deputy Speaker Eduard Sharmazanov delivered extraordinary speech on the agreement and, to his conviction the interest of the future generation and the state requires to ratify the agreement under debate.

The NA factions introduced their positions on the agreement.

The member of the ARF faction Artsvik Minasyan noted that the agreement would not boost the development of Armenia ’s economy and energy system, and the faction would vote against it.

The Head of Heritage faction Zaruhi Postanjyan informed the attendees that the faction would vote against the agreement, stemming from a number of circumstances. She proposed to take back the agreement.

The Head of the ANC faction Levon Zurabyan said that they also would vote against the agreement, as it was not stemming from the interests of the Republic of Armenia .

The Secretary of the Prosperous Armenia faction Naira Zohrabyan informed the colleagues that the faction would not take part in the voting of neither this agreement, nor any of the related ones, as they believed the agreement was one-sided.

The Head of the RPA faction Galust Sahakyan introduced the positive stance of the faction.

In his final speech the RA Minister of Energy and Natural Resources touched upon the concerns sounded in the deputies’ speeches and gave clarifications.

The National Assembly also debated the package of bills “On Amending the RA Law on the RA State Budget for 2013,” “On Amending the RA Law on the RA Budgetary System,” “On Amending the RA Law on Local Self-Government,” “On Amending the RA Law on Local Self-Government in the City of Yerevan.”

The RA Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Armen Movsisyan introduced the agreements “On the Order of the Price Formation on the Natural Gas Delivery of the Republic of Armenia” between the Government of the Republic of Armenia and Government of the Russian Federation” and “On Cooperation in the Sphere of Delivery of Natural Gas, Oil Products and Natural Rough Diamonds of the Republic of Armenia” the Government of the Republic of Armenia and Government of the Russian Federation” signed in Yerevan on December 2, 2013.

The National Assembly debated the package of bills proposing amendments to the law “On Motor Vehicles” and to a number of laws, which presented the National Centre for Legislative Regulation ( NCLR ) Director at the RA Government’s Staff Armen Yeghiazaryan.

The National Assembly will resume the debate of the issue on December 23 at 12:00.