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On May 22 the parliament continued the work.
At the beginning of the sitting the deputies welcomed the lecturers of the Faculty of Economy of Armenian National Agrarian University, who visited the National Assembly within the framework of the “Open Doors” programme.
Then the deputies continued debating the issue “On Approving the RA Government Programme.”
Deputies Stepan Margaryan, Mher Shahgeldyan, Artsvik Minasyan, Hovhannes Margaryan, Vardan Ayvazyan, Koryun Nahapetyan and Levon Dokholyan delivered speeches on the issue.
In his extraordinary speech the Minister of Economy Karen Chshmarityan touched upon
The RA Minister of Justice Hovhannes Manukyan referred to the prior problems of the sphere in his extraordinary speech.
The representatives of the NA factions also expressed their viewpoints on the issue.
The Head of the Heritage faction Rubik Hakobyan noted that the ANC, the PAP, the ARF and the Heritage factions had made a decision not to take part in the voting of the Government programme.
The Head of the Rule of Party Heghine Bisharyan informed the attendees that the Rule of Law Party had debated the Government programme and made a decision not to take part in the voting.
The Head of the ANC Levon Zurabyan, the Secretary of the PAP faction presented the viewpoints of their factions on the programme.
The Head of the RPA faction Vahram Baghdasaryan has noted that the Government programme is realistic and moderate.
The RA NA Speaker Galust Sahakyan expressed his viewpoint on the Government programme. He said in particular:
"Distinguished Prime Minister,
Dear deputies,
Dear members of the Government,
Let me first of all congratulate the new Government of the
With the debate of this most important political document, I believe, we announce the beginning of a new phase of Armenia’s development, which is conditioned by the global events, new geopolitical tendencies going on in recent years not only in our republic, but also in the region and in the whole world, which require an adequate response by the Republic of Armenia.
In this respect the RA Government programme, I bound to think, has possibly reflected the challenges and the conceptual solutions of problems, which will allow creating firm bases for
In this respect the RA Government programme, I bound to think, has possibly reflected the challenges and the conceptual solutions of problems, which will allow creating firm bases for
In this respect the RA Government programme, I bound to think, has possibly reflected the challenges and the conceptual solutions of problems, which will allow creating firm bases for
In this respect the RA Government programme, I bound to think, has possibly reflected the challenges and the conceptual solutions of problems, which will allow creating firm bases for
In this respect the RA Government programme, I bound to think, has possibly reflected the challenges and the conceptual solutions of problems, which will allow creating firm bases for
On the other hand, this Government programme has been worked out and submitted in the light of qualitatively new developments, naturally, maintaining and continuing all the reforms and programmes undertaken by the previous government, which have proved their effectiveness and viability, as well as the main provisions of the strategy of the national security of the Republic of Armenia, the pre-electoral programme of the President of the Republic of Armenia and the Republican Party of Armenia and the ideas comparative with the mentioned documents presented in the programmes of the parliamentary parties. In particular, the Republican Party of Armenia this time on its own has assumed the political responsibility of the provision and development of the country’s stability, the accession process to the Customs Union and Eurasian Economic Union has entered into the practical phase, a necessity of investment of new approaches and mechanisms of cooperation in the relations with the European Union has risen, which makes us review some approaches and ideas recorded in the previous government a year ago and enjoyed approval by us.
I welcome the main ideology which is enbedded in the programme: i.e. the provision of the RA each citizen’s freedom, security and welfare, for reaching those the ways and measures are presented in the corrisponding sections of the Programme. I don’t find expedient to thoroughly touch upon them, nonetheless that they have already been presented and a number of comments and opinions have been voiced on them. However, I cannot but stress the spheres and the ways of their development, which, in my opinion, are of prior importance for the republic in the current phase of social-economic development. In particular, it refers to:
- formation of the economic environment providing equal opportunities and real
competitiveness,
- creation of new jobs directly connected with economic growth and a dignified payment system both in private and state sectors,
- planning and construction of four new reservoirs, which will not only solve the prior problems
of ecological, but also agricultural development,
- use of the cooperation principle of state and private sector and formation of
favourable business environment, the practical evidence of which was the first organized meeting by the RA Prime Minister and the sincere talk with the business circles of the republic,
- implementation of active industrial policy (including the development of small
and medium enterprises) and provision of urgent support to agriculture,
- encouragement to the economic competitiveness and formation of the healthy competitive atmosphere,
- simplification and improvement of tax and customs regulations in the background
of new integration tendencies,
- activation of the settlement of demographic policy and migrational flows,
- rise of social policy targetting and efficiency levels,
- reforms of the governance system, including essential rise of self-government role and significance, community extention and enlargement of their financial capabilities, etc.
As a result, we expect concrete and tangible results, including provision of advancing tempo of economic growth compared with the developed countries, through the gradual rise of mid-term five per cent growth of the GDP, and of the minimum salary up to 65.000 drams, provision of poverty reduction up to ten per cent.
Dear colleagues,
Whether these results are sufficient or not, presented measures are satisfactorily or not, these are the questions, which are constantly voiced during the discussions of Government programmes, and it is clear that practically, especially in short period it is impossible to reach ideal state desirable for everybody. However, I am sure that in case of working effectively in the mentioned directions we’ll reach these indices and results, which are absolutely feasible and hopeful.
I also understand the strategy and tactics adopted by non-power forces connected with the Government programme. Naturally, they should have shown strongly critical attitude towards this issue, and I urge my colleagues and members of the government to regard the voiced criticism with comprehension, trying to reap healthy ideas from it for applying them in the activity of the government in the upcoming years. However, I cannot but also touch upon some ideas sounded during these debates to keep our society far from misunderstandings.
What does our opposition say? They say that there is a shadow in our economy and those who fight against it, conduct business. And is there any country without economic shadow? Can you find any such country? Of course, the problem is not in the existence of shadow, but its sizes. Without measuring you are giving figures like 40 percent, 50 percent. For a developing country it is even a natuaral phenomenon against which we are the ones to fight. And who has been the one to reduce the much bigger shadow existing before during these years? Year by year, as a result of the improvement of the tax and customs administration a huge amount of money enters into the state budget, even in the years of economic recession. Or they say that the deputies and the members of the government are businessmen. Let me repeat once again that they are not businessmen, but owners, shareholders in businesses, they get income from their ownership, and everybody may have this right, and it in no way contradicts the Constitution, and harms the works of the parliament and the government. They tell us to give them the control functions. I understand that controlling is a “pleasant” activity, but the power or the creation of the checks and balances is not only in controlling, but also in assuming responsibility, in facilitating the everyday concerns of the country. We have permanently proposed all the political forces to form a coalition and work jointly. Take any of the spheres and prove in practice that you can govern better than us. When we get convinced that you are more pro-governmental than us, we’ll give you oversight functions. What has happened? They say or wish things, which require huge financial means, realising that those means do not satisfy at present.
However, I tried to end my speech in this way, but I will say the following: you will never see my teammates or me insulting any party or person, trying to stick labels on someone, we are in the positions of contradictors. As the great poet, composer says: “Look here! The devil has begun bringing examples from the Bible. Political sectarianism has started and advances among us.”
In his final speech the RA Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan thanked the deputies for concerning debates and touched upon the voiced proposals and concerns.
In his final speech the RA Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan thanked the deputies for concerning debates and touched upon the voiced proposals and concerns.
The parliament debated the draft decision “On Amending the RA NA Decision on Creating the NA Ad-hoc Committee Studying the Activity of the RA Gas Supply System” initiated by the one third of the deputies, and presented by the author Khosrov Harutyunyan.
The NA deputies Naira Zohrabyan, Edmon Marukyan, Vardan Ayvazyan, Levon Zurabyan, Agjhvan Vardanyan and Mikayel Melkumyan touched upon the problem in the context of political agreement.
The bill “On Amending the RA Law on Excise Tax” was debated for completely passing it in the second reading.
The Head of the Rule of Law Party Heghine Bisharyan informed the deputies that the member of their faction Karen Botoyan had applied for withdrawing from the faction.
Then as a result of voting, 70 for, 1 against and 2 abstained, the National Assembly approved the RA Government programme.
The NA Speaker Galust Sahkyan congratulated the government and wished them fruitful and effective work.
The draft decision “On Amending the RA NA Decision on Creating the NA Ad-hoc Committee Studying the Activity of the RA Gas Supply System” and the bill “On Amending the RA Law on Excise Tax” were also passed by voting.
The parliament debated in the second reading and for completely passing the draft law “On Amending the RA Law on Social Security of Servicmen and Their Family Members” and the legislative package “On Amending the RA Law on the Salaries of Persons Occupying State Posts” and a number of related laws. The legislative package “On Amending the RA Judicial Code” and a number of related laws was also debated for completely passing them in the second reading, among which the bill “On Amending the RA Law on Social Guarantees of the Persons Occupying State Posts" was debated in the first reading.
The debate of the issue will continue at the NA next sitting.
The parliament ends the work of the four-day sittings.
