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On August 23, the NA Standing Committee on Defense and Security organized a working discussion on the topic Legal and organizational issues in the field of technical and fire safety in the light of Surmalu cases.

On August 14, 16 people died as a result of the fire that broke out in Surmalu shopping center in Yerevan. One missing citizen is being searched for. About six dozen citizens received burns and injuries of various degrees. The Chair of the NA Standing Committee on Defense and Security Andranik Kocharyan highlighted the comprehensive disclosure of the tragic incident, as well as he proposed defining what legal regulations are necessary to bring the technical and fire safety system up to modern standards. “I want to understand why the warehouse doors were not sealed,” Andranik Kocharyan said.

The Head of Urban Development, Technical Standards and Fire Safety Inspectorate Gegham Shakhbazyan presented the results of the activity of the inspectorate in the last two years, informed how many times inspections and re-inspections were carried out in Surmalu shopping center before the tragic incident. According to him, in accordance with the current legislation, the inspectorate has the right to carry out an inspection in the given organization once a year, and a fine of 50.000 AMD is set for a violation, which is actually a small amount. Speaking about the gaps in the field, he emphasized the personnel problem. According to Gegham Shakhbazyan, there are many institutions where technical and fire safety rules are not observed and requirements are not met.

The Committee member, deputy Krtistine Poghosyan, being familiar with the problems of the field, gave many examples, noting that a similar bad situation prevails in the Gold Market where technical and fire safety requirements have not been met and are still not met. According to the deputy, it is necessary to show will and solve the problems step by step.

The Committee Chair Andranik Kocharyan stressed the need to tighten state control in the field.

The Committee member, deputy, lieutenant general Gurgen Melkonyan also highlighted the solution of the problems of the field through legislation.

The deputy Vilen Gabrielyan, raising a number of issues, suggested the Head of the inspectorate to develop a draft on reducing the sale of explosives.

In addition to legal issues, there are also many technical problems that need to be addressed. In this context, the Committee Chair Andranik Kocharyan emphasized the harmonious work of power structures and inspectorates in solving similar problems.

Summarizing the working discussion, the Chair of the NA Standing Committee on Defense and Security noted that he will inform the RA Prime Minister about the discussion of the day by letter, proposing to find possible legislative solutions to the problems in the field with the joint efforts of the legislative and executive bodies.

It should be noted that Artak Harutyunyan, an expert of the Committee, presented a package of legal regulations about the problems in the field.