On June 9 the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia continued the work of the four-day sittings. Opening the sitting, Mr. Hovik Abrahamyan, President of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia said that Mr. Vahagn Khurshudyan was given an MP mandate through the list of the PAP faction. Mr. Hovik Abrahamyan, President of the National Assembly also said that voting on the package, submitted by the Government of the Republic of Armenia, related to the tax amendments, debated during the previous day will not be organized that day, as there were political debates in process.

The parliament continued to debate the Report on the Application of the State Budget for 2008, which was submitted by the Government of the Republic of Armenia. Mr. Hrayr Karapetyan, Chairman of the Standing Committee on Defense, National Security and Internal Affairs of the National Assembly, presented the endorsement of the committee on it.

The Heritage faction submitted its position on the report. According to Ms. Anahit Bakhshyan the faction would vote against the report.

Mr. Atom Janjughazyan, Deputy Minister of Finance and Economy, Chief Treasurer, in his closing speech presented clarifications, on the expressed views, related to the Annual Report on Application of the State Budget of the Republic of Armenia for 2008.

After the debate of the report it was adopted by voting.

Then Mr. Hovik Abrahamyan, President of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia presented for the first reading his authorized package of the draft laws on State Service in the Staff of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia, on Making Addendum to the Law of the Republic of Armenia on Civil Service, noting that even then when being elected in the post of the President of the National Assembly, he had stressed a number of conceptual issues, the solution of which was necessary for the provision of the productive application of the constitutional authorities of the National Assembly. Among those issues he also highlighted the steps, directed to the development of the activity of the staff of the National Assembly, provision of true professionalism of the staff. Mr. Hovik Abrahamyan noticed that it was possible to present the legislative initiative sooner but he tried to be sure in practice what issues were present and which were the ways for the solution of those issues. He also said structural amendments were not made just for that reason.

Mr. Abrahamyan noted that the proposed amendments are in compliance with the present solutions in the state service system of the Republic of Armenia, which aim to provide unity in the area and provide effective mechanisms for a smooth transition from one system to another. He also noted that the amendments emerge from the advanced international experience. The proposals of the factions and Standing Committees of the National Assembly, directed to the productive activity of the National Assembly were taken into consideration, while developing the draft. It was noted that rather principle and acceptable proposals were presented. In addition, the final version of the draft was presented to all parliamentary factions. The main speaker noted that the present Law of the Republic of Armenia on State Service in the Staff of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia was adopted in 2002. No amendment was made to the law up to now. As the presented draft proposes conceptual and principal new solutions, clarifications and specifications, thus it was presented by new elaboration.

The present law foresees a mechanism whereby the vacant posts in the state service of the staff of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia is replaced by closed and then opencompetition. In addition, even among the winners in the open competition the law gives some privileges to those, having a higher-class rank, a longer length of state service or other benefits, which in fact makes the staff of the National Assembly a private body. Thus the recruitment for the vacant posts is made only on the account of present resources, giving no opportunity for a new staff. According to the draft, an open competition would replace the closed competition. Also in some cases the law allows making appointments without competition. According to the draft, an interview during the competition became a mandatory requirement of the law, in contrast to the present order, when the interview was conducted when necessary but in fact it did not take place and the competition was only conducted by passing tests. Meanwhile, the interview is one of the best mechanisms for identifying knowledge and skills of participants and for choosing the right person. According to the draft the higher education became a mandatory requirement for the posts for junior groups, unlike at present, which does not require any length of service, or experience and nothing is mentioned on education. According to the author of the bill, Mr. Hovik Abrahamyan, this would give the opportunity to have more qualified personnel in the staff of the National Assembly.

A solution was given to another important issue by the draft. It was clarified that the paid assistants of the MPs, consultants and assistants of the head of the staff the experts of the parliamentary groups and factions of the National Assembly are not considered as state servants. The working experience of those employees was considered as length of service of the area of state governance, which means that they would not have any obstacles in their future professional activity in the aspect of working in various areas of public service. According to Mr. Abrahamyan this is an effective mechanism for the factions and MPs to have more qualified personnel, as the length of service in the factions and as an assistant for the MPs would be considered as necessary experience for entering into state system. Whereas the present order did not let those employees to have further work in any state body. The institution of short-term reserve of the staff is foreseen in the draft as an effective mechanism for protecting the rights and legitimate interests of state servants.

For example when personnel are dismissed short term staff supply are employed and are considered state servants. The maximum term of employment is 6 months. The person in reserve can be appointed to the post of state service. The main duties and responsibilities of the state service and other relations, related to it are also defined in the draft.

More than a dozen legal acts emerge from the draft i.e. the necessity to adopt decisions of the President of the National Assembly thus the draft should be debated through three readings. Mr. Abrahamyan expressed hope that before the start of the September session all the regulations, emerging from the law, and the necessary legal bases, providing productive activity for the staff would be ready.

Regarding the draft law of the Republic of Armenia on Making Addendum to the law of the Republic of Armenia on Civil Service it is proposed the posts of the head of the staff of the National Assembly, his first deputy and the post of one of the deputies to be considered as conceptual posts, which corresponds to the nature of the authorities of the head of the staff, allocated by the legislation as well as present approaches in the Government. In particular conceptual are considered the posts of the head of the staff of the Republic of Armenia, his first deputy and one of the deputies and the post of the head of the staff of the Government of the Republic of Armenia.

Mr. Artyush Shahbazyan presented the endorsement of the Standing Committee on State and Legal Affairs of the National Assembly on the bill, noting that the presented addenda were necessary. After the debate the bill was put to voting and adopted unanimously. The author of the bill Mr. Hovik Abrahamyan said that there were not written proposals from the first to the second reading and the verbal proposals would be debated during the conceptual debates.

Mr. Artur Javadyan, Chairman of the Central Bank submitted the program of monetary policy of the Republic of Armenia (report on inflation for the first quarter of 2009).

Mr. Gagik Minasyan, Chairman of the Standing Committee on Financial-Credit and Budgetary Affairs of the National Assembly, presented the endorsement of the committee. Then Mr. Armen Grigoryan, Minister of Sport and Youth Affairs of the Republic of Armenia submitted for the second reading the draft law on Making Addenda and Amendments to the Law of the Republic of Armenia on Physical Training and Sport, noting that all the proposals were adopted. The leading committee endorsed the bill.

Ms. Naira Zohrabyan, co-author, submitted for the second reading the draft law on Making Addendum to the Law of the Republic of Armenia on Holidays and Memorial Days of the Republic of Armenia. The leading committee endorsed the bill.

The Parliament Members debated for the third reading the draft law on Making Amendments and Addenda to the Law of the Republic of Armenia on Aviation. There were no proposals, related to the draft law.

Then the parliament debated a record, related to which Mr. Shirak Torosyan presented the endorsement of the Standing Committee on Foreign Relations of the National Assembly.

Mr. Hovhannes Margaryan, co- author submitted for the second reading the draft law on Making Amendments and Addenda to the Law of the Republic of Armenia on State Border, noting that all the written proposals were adopted. The Standing Committee on Defense, National Security and Internal Affairs of the National Assembly endorsed the bill.

Mr. Ara Babloyan, co-author, presented the package of the bills on Making Amendments and Addenda on Psychiatric Care and on Making Amendments to the Criminal Code of the Republic of Armenia. Mr. Mkrtich Minasyan presented the endorsement of the Standing Committee on Health Care of the National Assembly on the bill.

The MPs debated for the second reading the draft law on Making Amendments and Addenda to the Criminal Code of the Republic of Armenia, which was presented by Mr. Mnatsakan Sargsyan, Deputy Prosecutor General of the Republic of Armenia. The Standing Committee on State and Legal Affairs of the National Assembly also endorsed the bill.

Mr. Gevorg Danielyan, Minister of Justice of the Republic of Armenia submitted for the first reading the package of the draft laws on Making Amendments to the Judicial Code of the Republic of Armenia and on Prosecutor’s Office, noting that the proposed amendment was technical. The Standing Committee on State and Legal Affairs of the National Assembly endorsed the bill.

Mr. Gevorg Danielyan, Minister of Justice of the Republic of Armenia submitted for the first reading the bill on Making Amendments and Addenda to the Criminal Code of the Republic of Armenia. The Standing Committee on State and Legal Affairs of the National Assembly endorsed the bill.

Mr Vache Terteryan, first Deputy Minister of Territorial Administration of the Republic of Armenia submitted for the first reading the bill on Making Addendum to the Law of the Republic of Armenia on the Status of Individual Houses in Yerevan with the Failure of Right Supporting Documents.

The Standing Committee on Territorial Management and Local Self-Government of the National Assembly endorsed the bill.

The last hour of the meeting, according to the Rules of Procedure of the National Assembly, was allotted to a questions and answer session of the MPs.