On September 12, before the sixth session of the third convocation of the National Assembly, RA NA Artur Baghdasaryan had his traditional press conference for the journalists.

- According to tradition, before each tradition I have brief speech before the session about the works done in the previous session and works to be done in the future. I would like to welcome all journalists in the parliament, and I hope that all of you had a good rest in summer and you’ll start covering the works of the parliament of the new session. In an hour the sixth session of the third convocation of NA will begin in an hour. During this session numerous issues are presented for discussion, about 86 issues, 30 international agreements, several dozen other bills will also be put on the agenda of the parliament in the result of current works. I would like to indicate that during the previous session NA discussed 127 legislative initiatives, 69 issues, ratified a few dozen of international agreements.

This session is specified with one important anniversary: in November we’ll celebrate the 15 year of the activity of the parliament, organize a festive sitting of the National Assembly, representatives inter-parliamentary delegations of a number of countries will be invited to National Assembly, and we’ll celebrate the 15^th anniversary of the activity of RA parliament together with our colleagues. Citizens-NA connection has rather been activated, as a result of which 5000 citizens applied to NA, me as NA Speaker, organized citizens’ receptions in Yerevan, in the marzes of the republic, and it has already been announced that we received and answered about 21.000 applications, letters and we tried to be useful to our compatriots with all questions that they applied to, and with which we’re liable as a legislative power. I also consider important that during this session we’ll start the discussion of the Constitutional reforms draft, we envisage the adoption of the draft in the third reading. I think that in the sense of international activity too the work of the parliament till December will be rather fruitful: at my invitation a number Parliament Speakers (Slovakia, Hungary, Russian Federation, Rumania, Brazil) will visit Armenia, a number of important events, in particular, “Rose Roth” seminar will be jointly held with NATO Parliamentary Assembly, as a result of which several dozen delegations and Parliamentary missions will visit RA, besides sessions of two Standing Committees of CIS Inter-Parliamentary Assembly will be held in Yerevan. Visits of NA official delegations are also envisaged, besides RA NA will undertake the presidency of PABSEC, and we’ll accept the presidency handed over to our country on this occasion in Tirana.

Perhaps, this much, if there are questions, I’ll answer to the question.

“Haykakan Zhamanak” (Armenian Time) daily

- Two questions: tell in few words about your visits and meetings in USA. And the second question: on Friday the Standing Committee on State and Legal Affairs has taken out from the agenda the question of the absentees being not valid, giving reasons that the issue has been on the agenda twice, you don’t put it for the discussion at the plenary session. Will this issue put on the agenda this time?

- I’ll start with the second question, the MPs’ absentees. In general, I’ve been and I have an opinion that all MPs should fulfill their obligations prescribed by law, thus, it’s important to touch upon this issue. When I have meetings in Yerevan, in different marzes, people ask me why the MPs don’t fully participate in the whole activity of the Parliament. We have the deal with the political stance of the opposition, boycott, but you know that now different talks are in circulation on returning to parliament, I find myself important that the MP, whom the people sent to work in NA, come to NA and fulfill his/her obligations that he/she has undertaken during the election of the MP. But as there is political stance, till now there has been an answer having adequate political stance to that political stance. I’ve just come back, naturally, I think that we’ll have certainly to touch upon on this problem and during the upcoming days I’ll have meetings with my colleagues from both opposition and authorities, one should specify everybody’s stance. And taking the advantage once more I call on to return to the parliament, participate at NA activity more fully because various problems impose on our people, and we are all obliged to contribute to the solution of the problems with our daily consistent and responsible work. Eventually, NA is elected for 4-year term, and we should be able to explain to our people if it’s possible to boycott the works of NA session 4 years running. I repeat once again, at the same time, I consider important that we, all MPs, are accountable before our people, our nation, and we’ll be able to contribute to the solution of the accumulated problems in our country with our activity. Regarding the first question, the visit to USA was rather interesting for me as NA Speaker. In fact, during 15 years this was the first such visit. During 8 days I had about 57 meetings, the meetings included almost all spheres of US legislative and executive power. There were interesting meetings also with different representatives of the public sector, state institutions, and we discussed the process underway in Armenia and South Caucasus during our talks. I can say that in USA they attentively follow all public-political moves, and this visit was important for me to more specify the realities in USA and be able to speak about the problems, that we have in Armenia, different spheres of development of Armenian-American relations.

“Novoye Vremya” newspaper

- I would like to specify from you personally because contradictory information was circulating whether your visit to USA was at the invitation of the State of Department or NDI organization.

- I had an official invitation to leave for the USA to participate at the second world summit of the Parliament Speakers, besides a number of official meetings were envisaged beforehand. US State Department organized my visit to Washington within the frameworks of the program “The Heads’ International Visits,” where during about 30 years if I’m not mistaken, heads of about 180 states, Parliament Speakers, heads of the Government visited. Here NDI has not anything common, US State Department, and me taking the advantage, express my gratitude for organizing the visit comprehensively, completely and effectively. Of course, there were meetings with NDI, US Republican Institute and numerous other organizations.

“Interfax” agency

- In case of adoption of Constitutional reforms by the people the role of the parliament will rise very much in the country, as well as the Government’s. I would like to know your opinion, is the present staff of the parliament ready to undertake that high role?

- During the summit held in UN I gave a speech, the content of which was the following: strong parliament, strong democracy. If we want to have democratic Armenia, competitive state, independent judicial legal system, independent economy, country protecting human and citizens’ rights, then, certainly, we should go through strengthening the parliamentary institute in Armenia. It means if the parliament should have wide powers, also have complete responsibility, i.e. the right doesn’t mean only privilege, the right means, first of all, obligation, and I think that the parliament that we should form already during the next elections because the constitutional reforms will refer to the next parliament, all of us should do the utmost to form a parliament enjoying the people’s confidence, which is also capable to bear responsibility for the fulfillment of the powers, by which he is empowered by Constitution. Simply, I also would like to state that the tendency of increasing the powers of the parliament through constitutional reforms is evident, and we shouldn’t be frightened that the parliament has great power.

“Zhamanak” (Time)

- Mr. Baghdasaryan, in the background of your visit to USA, what do you think, if riggings happen during the Constitutional referendum, what will be your reaction. Is the Orinats Yerkir (Rule of Law) going to join Vazgen Manukyan? Have you met anybody in Monte Carlo?

- I haven’t been to Monte Carlo, ask those who were in Monte Carlo, who met with whom. There is no problem to join Vazgen Manukyan, moreover, we announced the political creed of Orinats Yerkir party: political peace and non-political war, political competitiveness and non-political hatred, and we’re for the establishment of political tolerance in the country. That’s why I declared myself three important principles: freedom, concord and progress: those are the important principles that are necessary for our people. The way of working through biting each other’s head off has exhausted itself long ago, and we should be able to get consolidated around the pan-national problems in this complicated region, being a small country, and try to solve the existing problems in our country with joint work, and have stances in favour of the nation in connection with rather interesting developments taking place also in the region. What refers to the attitude of the constitutional reforms in USA, I can say that US highlights the fulfillment of the constitutional reforms in Armenia. I felt that during my visit, you also know that we have the positive viewpoint of the world community in connection with those reforms. And we should be able to carry out right and effective campaign, explain to our people, the main part of which are not interested in constitutional reforms at all, show the people, how important these reforms are, when at the level of the basic law of the country, level of the Constitution real balance, separation of the power wings take place, and the people also understand that these reforms will bring forth favourable developments for RA to the country, the state, which we want to establish together with you. The time for riggings passed, I have spoken against all riggings; there is no need for riggings, and our people and international institutions won’t stand that: we should hold open, transparent referendum. We have nothing to be ashamed of or bow our heads. Different international structures defend, in fact, the process of the constitutional reforms, and everybody accept that those reforms are the priority for RA.

“Panorama.am”

- How do you estimate the extraordinary report of the Human Rights’ Defender (Ombudsperson), as it was directed to all bodies of the power, including NA? Is it possible that NA will initiate anything in connection with the facts touched upon in that report?

- The Institute of Human Rights’ Defender (Ombudsman) is new in our reality and the Ombudsperson applied me with a request for a meeting. In future we’ll meet and we’ll talk about the details related to that report. I consider important to indicate that by Constitutional reforms, in fact, NA will appoint the Ombudsperson, who is of great importance from the viewpoint of full independence and formation of that institute.

“Regnum” agency

- I would like to specify the day of the visit of the Speaker of the Russian Parliament.

The visit of the Speaker of the Russian Parliament is envisaged this year in December.

“Ambion” (Tribune) newspaper

- You, as a Chairman of “Orinats Yerkir” and NA Speaker, always flattering the international structures, try to raise the authority of RA and NA. Have you thought what will you answer in case of the failure of the constitutional referendum, when the people will refuse the draft presented by the authorities?

- In general, if I don’t want to speak with if-then, I don’t want to flatter anybody, I present my right stance of principle. In Armenia everybody knows everybody with their political activity, and I think, that I should do everything possible to have, really, free, transparent constitutional reforms trustworthy for our people in our country because if we speak about the necessity of establishing democracy in our country, strengthening it, going forward, then we should accept a clear reality – it should be started from the Basic Law of the country. If any wing of the authorities has super powers, then we’ll be aware that those super powers can be used for good, as well as bad purposes: the existence of the real balance of the power wings is very important: legislative, executive and judicial. The consistent, political will is necessary to have for applying the good laws because in Armenia we often see that the illegality carried out in the name of law. We should be consistent so the good laws can also be applied in our country because bad laws create good opportunities for offences.