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By the decision of the RA NA Speaker Galust Sahakyan, under Article 70 of the RA Constitution, at the initiative of the RA Government on February 19, an extraordinary sitting of the RA National Assembly was convened.

Before starting the legislative work, the Secretary of the NA Rule of Law Faction Mher Shahgeldyan has informed that the Faction would not take part in the works of the sitting, considering inadmissible the proposed agenda and the amendments envisaged in the law “On the Structure of the Government of the Republic of Armenia.”

The parliament made a decision, according to which, the debate of the draft law “On Amending the RA Law on the Structure of the Government of the Republic of Armenia,” as well as the second item of the agenda, the legislative package in the second reading “On Amending the RA law on Notice of the Activity Implementation” and “On State Duty” will be held after passing them in the first reading within 24 hours.

The parliament in the first reading debated the draft law “On Amending the RA Law on the Structure of the Government of the Republic of Armenia,” which submitted the RA Minister of Justice Arpine Hovhannisyan. The draft law proposes to amend the structure of the RA Government, as a result, designing to have the RA Ministry of Territorial Administration and Development and the RA Ministry of Emergency Situations. As Arpine Hovhannisyan has noted, the amendment is conditioned by the political processes – the new format of the RPA-ARF cooperation.

The deputies addressed numerous questions to the key speaker, which related to the emergency of convening an extraordinary sitting, the reasons of the structural changes of the ministry, the RPA-ARF cooperation format, the size of the expenditure increase in the state budget, the efficiency of the administration forms of the ministry, the expediency of the structural change stemming from the political purposefulness, etc.

The deputies expressed their views on the draft law. Zaruhi Postanjyan noted that she will vote against the bill. Tevan Poghosyan was against the idea of the ministry division, as the expenditures of the state budget will increase. Naira Zohrabyan noted that the PAP Faction will vote against it. In Vahe Hovhannisyan’s opinion, the idea of the administration efficiency is subjugated to the political purposefulness, which is a bad precedent. According to Vahan Babayan, the government does not present any substantial reason. As to Stepan Margaryan, the draft law has no ground, and the deputies should not vote for the change of the government system caused as a result of political agreement of two political forces. Talking about the substantiation of the draft law, Mikayel Melkumyan noted that it was incomplete. Nikol Pashinyan touched upon the amendment being proposed and noted that the decision will have a decisive role for the RA citizens. Rubik Hakobyan, being not against it, and welcoming the RPA-ARF political cooperation, believes that they should make it persuasive for the population.

The NA Deputy Speakers Hermine Naghdalyan and Eduard Sharmazanov delivered extraordinary speeches. Hermine Naghdalyan has underlined that the RPA-ARF political cooperation has a great goal and meaning - reach bigger results with joint responsibility.

Touching upon the speeches of the opposition, Eduard Sharmazanov has noted that the RPA-ARF cooperation functions not against, but for the benefit of tomorrow’s better Armenia and is ready for cooperation with all constructive, both political and civil forces.

The NA Factions presented their viewpoints on the bill.

The Secretary of the ARF Faction Aghvan Vardanyan has noted that the ARF is for the work and responsibility.

Presenting the viewpoint of the ANC Faction, the Head of the Faction Levon Zurabyan has stated that the Faction will vote against it.

The Head of the RPA Faction Vahram Baghdasaryan presented the viewpoint of the RPA Faction and informed that the Faction will vote for it.

In her final speech the RA Minister of Justice Arpine Hovhannisyan gave clarifications on the viewpoints sounded in the deputies’ speeches. The Minister has stated that the effective administration is not subjugated to the political expediency.

The bill was adopted with 68 for, 20 against and 1 abstained voting co-relation.

The RA Deputy Minister of Agriculture Robert Makaryan in the first reading submitted for debate the legislative package “On Amending the RA law on Notice of the Activity Implementation” and “On State Duty.”

As a result of debate, the legislative package enjoyed the approval of the parliament, after which the debate in the second reading of the two items debated during the day was organized. The deputies in the second reading and completely passed the abovementioned legislative initiatives.

Covering the agenda, the National Assembly ended the work of the extraordinary sitting.