At the February 7 sitting at the National Assembly the MPs adopted in the first reading the draft packages on Making Amendments and Addenda to the RA Law on Road Traffic Security, on Making Amendments and Addenda to the RA Law on Police, on Making Amendments and Addenda to the RA Law on Administrative Offences and draft packages on Making Amendments to the RA Law on Aviation and on Licensing, on Making Amendments to the RA Law on State Duty, on Making Addendum to the RA Law on Organization and Execution of Audits in the RA, on Making Amendments and Addenda to the RA Law on Administrative Offences in the RA Criminal Code and on Making Amendments and Addenda to the RA Civil Code, on Making Amendments and Addenda to the RA Law on Putting into Life the RA Criminal Code, on Defining Tax Benefits to Construction of Meghri-Kajaran Gas Pipeline. The following drafts: on Employers’ Union, on Amending the RA Law on Trade and Services, on Making Addendum to the RA Law on Administrative Offences, on Making Amendment and Addendum to the RA Criminal Code and to the RA Law on Conscription were adopted in the second reading. Then the debates on the package, consisting of draft amendments to the Law on Prosecutor’s Office and relevant three laws were continued.

Mr. Rafik Petrosyan, Chairman of the NA Standing Committee on State and Legal Affairs, underlined that the law was complied with the Constitution.

The MPs debated in the first reading the legislative initiative of MPs Galust Sahakyan, Hermine Naghdalyan, Gagik Melikyan, Sukias Avetisyan, Henrik Abrahamyan, Vahe Hakobyan, Armen Purtoyan and Samvel Nikoyan on Making Addendum to the RA Law On Property Tax. The Government endorsed the adoption of the draft. The RA NA Standing Committee on Financial-Credit, Budgetary and Economic Affairs also endorsed the draft. It was presented by the Chairman of the Committee Mr. Gagik Minasyan.

The draft, presented by the RA NA President Mr. T. Torosyan on Relations between the Republic of Armenia and the Armenian Apostolic Church was debated in the second reading. It was noted that in the period between the first and second readings the proposals on improving the draft were received from the MPs Mrs. H. Hakobyan, Mr. V. Dallakyan and Mr. Rafik Petrosyan; active debates were held between the Government and representatives of Holy See St. Echmiadzin. The proposal of Mr. V. Baghdasaryan on including provisions related to Armenian Apostolic and Catholic Church, since the Law refers to relations between the Republic of Armenia and the Armenian Apostolic Church. The RA NA President noted that the leaders of the Armenian Apostolic Church proposed to include in the law the names of two churches, which is not possible, because the framework of the law is defined by the Constitution.

The RA NA President touched upon the article published in the press, where the subjective statements were discussed. He stressed that the provision, enshrined in the draft: the Republic of Armenia recognizes the self-governance of the Armenian Apostolic Church within the frame of its priesthood is a wording meaning that the church is to be separated from the State. The author of the draft clarified that it is not obliged by the law to pay for the work done in the archives of the Armenian Apostolic Church; the issues related to the cultural and spiritual values of the church should be resolved by the state.

In  NA President’s opinion, the national heritage should not be divided into parts. ”The adoption of this law does not exclude that the state might have its attitude towards the values created by Mkhitarian Congregation, but not with this law, because it does not refer to Mkhitaryan Congregation. It refers to relations of our state and Armenian Apostolic Church, and the state does not pay for the work done in the archives of the Armenian Apostolic Saint Church,” noted Mr. T. Torosyan.The issue of making amendments on the territory of church monuments, of authorities on the establishment of non-religious structures should be solved by other laws. The author of the law believes that the law should not solve the issues of church activation and issues of increase of the role of the successors because the state and the Church are separated. Due to some organizational issues the Article 9 of marriage registration will go into effect from January 1, 2008. In the RA NA President’s opinion, the law has an important meaning, and the Parliament of this convocation should adopt it until the completion of its authorities.

The Chairwoman of the RA NA Standing Committee on Science, Education, Culture and Youth Mrs. H. Hakobyan by presenting the endorsement of the Committee, noted that it has been for the first time to regulate the most important relations between the Republic of Armenia and the Armenian Apostolic Church.

Mr. V. Hovhannisyan, Vice Speaker of the National Assembly highlighted the adoption of the draft, since it is not only the requirement of the Constitution, but it regulates relations of the country with the institute, which has been preserved even in the absence of the Armenian statehood. Mr. Hovhannisyan observed the Christianity as an important component of the Armenian people’s way of thinking. The NA Vice Speaker reminded that in the crossroads of history the Armenian Apostolic Church was divided into Catholics, Evangelists and Chalcedons. In his opinion, the error of the Middle Ages should not be repeated, and the Armenian Church should not be divided into parts. It is necessary to unite the successors of the evangelical and catholic churches. He considers this unification as the most important component of the national security strategy. Taking into consideration the role of the Armenian Apostolic Church in the fight against heresy, Mr. V. Hoivhannisyan advised the MPs to try to regulate their proposals by other laws, since the debated draft is a requirement of the Constitution and it regulates special relations between the Republic of Armenia and the Armenian Apostolic Church.

Mr. Gurgen Arsenyan, Head of the ULP faction, expressed the view of the faction. He informed that the relations between the state and the Church are necessary to be regulated by the law. The Republic of Armenia is a secular country by the Constitution, and the Church is separated from the state.

The RA NA President, touching upon the MPs’ proposals in his final speech, noted he would not like to divide the Armenian people into different sections because of some peculiarities, religious as well, and to observe the national unity in that context. “For me not only successors of the Armenian Apostolic Church are important, but the evangelical, Armenian Catholic, Muslim Armenians and the Armenians that are not successors of any belief, i.e. it is very important from the view of national unity that all Armenians are unified” says Mr. T. Torosyan. It was informed that the issue of marriage and divorces was debated with the Government representatives, clarifying that from the Government there is no necessity in recognition of divorce declared by the church. In Mr. T. Torosyan’s opinion the mass media is free in the issues of publicizing the church beliefs. He believes that the drafts on Freedom of Conscience and Religion and on Relations between the RA and the Armenian Apostolic Church should not be connected to each other.

The MPs debated in the first reading the following drafts: on Making Amendments and Addenda to the RA Law on Citizenship, on Making Addendum to the RA Law on Conscription, on Making Addendum to the RA Criminal Code, on Making Addendum to the RA Code on Administrative Offences, on Making Amendments and Addenda to the RA Electoral Code, which were presented by the Minister of Justice Mr. David Harutyunyan.

The debates on legislative package on Making Amendments and Addenda to the RA Law on Citizenship will be continued at the NA sitting on February 8.

According to the NA Rules of Procedures the last sitting was dedicated to question-answer session between the MPs and the government.