On June 9, the regular sitting of the NA Standing Committee on State and Legal Affairs moderated by Vladimir Vardanyan was held.
Indpenednet deputies Sofia Hovsepyan, Taguhi Tovmasyan, Gor Gevorgyan authored the draft law on Making Amendment and Addendum to the constitutional law the Rules of Procedure of the National Assembly.
The key speaker Sofia Hovsepyan has noted that it is proposed to set a mandatory demand for the members of the Government to obligatory approach to the NA tribune during the NA-Government Q & A and orally answer to the deputies’ questions or orally present substantiation about the reasons of not answering to the deputies’ questions. To her word, it is expected to increase the efficiency of the implementation of the parliamentary oversight.
It has been noted that there are cases, when the members of the Government being at the NA Session Hall, do not answer to the deputies’ questions, instead through the moderator of the sitting are proposed to present the question in written form.
The RA Deputy Minister of Justice Suren Grigoryan has informed that the Government has a negative position on the draft law. According to the Deputy Minister, the problem is at a discretional level. It was noted that the deputy should be concerned about getting an answer in content.
According to the Committee Chair Vladimir Vardanyan, the NA Rules of Procedure cannot regulate an item which relates to the authorities of the Government members. “You cannot design an obligation for the Government member, because it will be problematic in terms of constitutionality.” It has been noted that the bill is incomplete in the political, legal and legislative technique viewpoints. It has to be worked out. “I perceive the draft law as an opportunity of voicing the existing problem,” Vladimir Vardanyan said.
The draft law was put for voting and was not approved by the Committee.