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On June 7 on the initiative of the NA Standing Committee on Territorial Management and Local Self-Government parliamentary hearings were held, where the bill “On Amending the RA Law on Organization of the Funerals and Operation of the Cemeteries and Crematories” elaborated by the deputies of the NA Rule of Law faction Hovhannes Margaryan and Heghine Bisharyan.

NA deputies, representatives of the NGOs, communities, structures involved with relevant activity were taking part in the hearings.

Hovhannes Margaryan said that the RA Government endorsed the initiative. The RA Deputy Minister of Urban Development Aleksan Karapetyan noted that a relevant legislative package had already been worked out. Deputies, representatives of the municipalities, communities, and the NGOs were against the idea of founding private cemeteries.

The deputies Artsvik Minasyan, Araik Hovhannisyan expressed their views. The deputy Araik Aghababyan was convicned that the establishment of the private cemeteries would deepen the social inequality.

The Chair of the Association “For Human Stable Development” Karine Danielyan also shared this view.

The Deputy Mayor of Yerevan Kamo Areyan has clarified that it mainly regulates the work of the newly created cemeteries.

In their final speeches the co-authors touched upon the sounded concerns and views, gave clarifications.

Summing up the Committee Chairman Stepan Margaryan thanked the participants for concerned and stormy debates, noting that new concerns and issues emerged, which should be solved. He urged the participants to submit proposals in written form, which would be discussed in detail and improve the joint draft law submitted by the deputies and the Government.