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On February 10 at 13:00, the RA National Assembly on the RA NA deputies’ initiative convened the RA NA extraordinary sitting.

The parliament passed the NA decisions on the order of holding the extraordinary sitting and its duration.

The NA Speaker Ararat Mirzoyan has informed that the draft law on Constitution Amendments of the Republic of Armenia is included in the sitting agenda which has been presented in the first reading for debating.

Let us note that 44 deputies of the RA NA My Step Faction prepared the draft law on Constitutional Amendments.

The key speaker Vahagn Hovakimyan clarified the motivations of initiating constitutional amendments, considering them as a very important factor the low trust of the public to the Constitutional Court.

According to the substantiation of the draft law, the Constitutional Court has a problem of being perceived as a restoration of trust and as unbiased court in the society, and the abovementioned amendments are also conditioned by that. Vahagn Hovakimyan has informed that the RA NA My Step Faction will not pass this draft law in the first reading, but the NA draft decision on proposing to present the draft law for national referendum by the authority given to the RA National Assembly by Paragraph 3 of Article 202 of the RA Constitution.

More than four dozen MPs delivered speeches, and the representatives of the factions also expressed their viewpoints on the item.

Mane Tandilyan presented the viewpoint of the RA NA Bright Armenia Faction, noting that they were exclusively for the settlement of this item in legal way.

Mikayel Melkumyan delivered a speech on behalf of the RA NA Prosperous Armenia Faction, saying that there should be consensus of political forces for referendum.

Lilit Makunts presented the viewpoint of the RA NA My Step Faction, stating that in case of not passing the draft law on the Constitution Amendments in the first reading by the National Assembly it is necessary to guarantee the people’s direct participation in the solution of the items being regulated by that draft law.

In his final speech Vahagn Hovakimyan touched upon the MPs’ voiced opinions.

The RA Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan gave an extraordinary speech.

See the full speech here:

As a result of voting, the draft law on Constitutional Amendments of the Republic of Armenia was not passed in the first reading with 0 for, 36 against and 88 abstentions.

According to the Head of the RA NA My Step Faction Lilit Makunts, according to Part 2 of Article 202 of the Constitution, if the National Assembly does not pass the draft law on Constitutional Amendments, then by the decision made by at least 3/5 votes of the total number of the deputies it can be put for referendum.

Afterwards the draft decision of the National Assembly on Putting the Draft Law on Constitutional Amendments for Referendum was presented for debate of the parliament.

Edmon Marukyan presented the viewpoint the RA NA Bright Armenia Faction and informed that the Faction would vote against the draft decision of the National Assembly.

The Deputy Speaker of the Parliament Alen Simonyan has presented the viewpoint of the RA NA My Step Faction and has noted that the most democratic way of the solution of the problem is the referendum and the people are those making decision.

The Head of the RA NA My Step Faction Lilit Makunts informed that the Faction would vote for it.

The Member of the RA NA Prosperous Armenia Faction Mikayel Melkumyan noted that they would not take part in voting.

The parliament passed the draft decision of the National Assembly on Putting the Draft Law on Constitution Amendments for Referendum with 88 for, 15 against and 0 abstention votes.

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