On June 17, Mr. Tigran Torosyan, President of the National Assembly, received Ms. Bushra Halepota, Representative of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

The draft of the RA Law on Refugees and Shelter was in the pivot of the meeting, which the government had already submitted to the National Assembly, and after the debates in the committee it will be debated in the plenary session of the National Assembly in the autumn session. Mr. Tigran Torosyan, President of the National Assembly, informed Ms. Halepota that he got familiarized not only with the draft but also with the interesting proposals, and highlighting the adoption of the draft assured that the representatives of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees will be invited for the discussions in the committee. The President of the National Assembly stressed that after the restoration of the independence this problem arose in our country, in the case of the hundreds of thousands of Armenians deported from Azerbaijan and those who received status of a refugee, for whom the state did as far as possible with the support of international different colleagues. Not a long time is needed for the problem to be solved in general. Nevertheless, this issue is of worldwide importance, which occurs nearly in all countries, and the legislative regulation is a necessity, for the state as well as the deported people in the states have distinct obligations and authorities. The President of the National Assembly expressed hope that in the autumn session the bill will be adopted in three readings and already at the end of the year Armenia will have a law on Refugees and Shelter in compliance with the European standards.

Ms. Bushra Halepota, Representative of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, highlighting the adoption of the bill, noted that the UN office displayed experts’ support and was really interested in the adoption of the bill,  for Armenia that ratified the Convention in 1951 on Refugees have a law on Refugees and Shelter in compliance with the international standards, which also enabled to act through the New Neighbourhood Programme. According to Ms. Bushra Halepota, there is a lot to do after the adoption of the bill that is the adoption of relevant sublegislative acts (for that purpose the representative of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees turned to donors for seeking financial means), organizing trainings for increasing the citizens’ awareness, providing legal services, etc. Ms. Bushra Halepota expects the support of the President of the National Assembly in the adoption of the draft law and in further works.

Mr. Tigran Torosyan, President of the National Assembly, expressing willingness for support, highlighted the great work that implements the UNHCR office in general, being an unbiased structure that does not seek political interests, and carries out an important humanitarian mission.