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On March 27, the RA National Assembly continued the work of the regular sittings. The deputies expressed their viewpoints on the draft law on Ratifying the Temporary Agreement Aimed at the Formation of the Free Zone between the Eurasian Economic Union and Its Member States on One Hand and on the Other Hand between the Islamic Republic of Iran. Mikayel Melkumyan has positively assessed the availability of the Agreement and has noted that it can add the volumes of export from Armenia to Iran, which today is three times less, than the import.

After the end of the Agreement debate all the draft laws debated during the regular sittings were passed by voting.

Afterwards the RA Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan presented to the parliament the report on the Procedure and Results of the Government Programme Implementation. The Head of the executive body stressed that the policy adopted by the Government directed to the involvement of the investments, the provision of the competitive field, the encouragement of labour and individual effort, the simplification of the tax system and the improvement of the administration.

According to the Prime Minister, the key goal of the Government activity in 2018 was the affirmation of the non violent, velvet people’s revolution values occurred in Armenia in April-May as a basis of public and national relations and the implementation of the revolution ideas as a political permanent reality.

Numerous and diverse questions were addressed to the Prime Minister, which related to the perspectives of the economic development and power-opposition relations.

During the sitting the PACE President Liliane Maury Pasquier made welcoming remarks to the parliamentarians. She thanked the RA authorities for the invitation and warm hospitality. The high ranking official has touched upon the cooperation between Armenia and the Council of Europe, the legal equality of women and men, has voiced the political problems, which are related to Europe.

According to PACE President, 18 years ago the membership of Armenia to the Council of Europe was a very important phase in terms of strengthening the democratic institutions in our country, as well as showing assistance to the reforms in numerous spheres.

Liliane Maury Pasquier highly assessed the significant progress implemented in our country during last years.

As a parliamentarian, PACE President emphasized the regular activity of Armenia's democratic institutions, underlining that they had undergone great changes.

Evaluating the development and strengthening of the democratic achievements in Armenia, the high ranking guest considered necessary the establishment of the constructive political dialogue between all forces represented in the parliament.

“The democratic movement, which goes on in your country, is a good opportunity for advancing the country and making relevant reforms in key spheres,” Liliane Maury Pasquier said.

Touching upon the political problems concerning Europe, which are the movements against speech, mass media, freedom of assemblies and democracy, the nationalism and the growth of populism, the threat towards the legal state, as well as the disputing of the authority of Strasbourg European Court, put the European system of values in an awkward situation, which is based on the European Convention of Human Rights.

Talking about the issue of gender legal equality between women and men, she has noted that the violence against women are directly consequence of the existing stereotypes and discrimination. “It is not always that the legislative amendments are here sufficient: it is necessary to change the way of thinking of the society, to eliminate the taboos and to voice the problems and to boost the legal equality between the genders through education,” PACE President said. She has informed that through the initiative 'Not Only in Parliament' they fight against encroachments and violence towards women in the national parliaments.

According to Liliane Maury Pasquier, Armenian is one of the important players of the Council of Europe, and the bilateral cooperation is at high level, and the mutual visits witness to it.

After the speech by PACE President the RA NA President Ararat Mirzoyan has noted that Armenia also highlights the cooperation with the Council of Europe and its institutes, and it is resolute in the implementation of democratic reforms.

“We have our own agenda of strengthening those reforms and democratic institutes, which we resolutely advance. We are affirmative to eradicate the violence for our society, as well as we emphasize your indicated political dialogue with the opposition colleagues,” the Head of the Parliament underlined.

At the last sitting, under the constitutional law the Rules of Procedure of the National Assembly, the members of the RA Government answered the deputies' questions.

The work of the NA regular sittings will continue on March 28, at 10:00.