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On October 3, the Speaker of the RA National Assembly Ararat Mirzoyan received the Speaker of the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania Viktoras Pranckietis. The Heads of the two countries’ parliaments had a tête-à-tête talk and discussed a number of discussions of cooperation.

Welcoming Viktoras Pranckietis in new Armenia, Ararat Mirzoyan has underlined that the two countries’ relations are based on the common values and common vision in the development of democracy and human rights. The RA NA President has thanked the Parliament of Lithuania for the ratification of the Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement, underlining that it is very important for the Republic of Armenia (RA). Ararat Mirzoyan also expressed his gratitude to the parliamentarians of Lithuania for supporting Armenia on the international different platforms and show very balanced approach in the NK problem settlement.

Viktoras Pranckietis was thankful to Ararat Mirzoyan for the invitation to visit Armenia. “It is an honour, and we congratulate Armenia for the Velvet Revolution, we consider it a new step in deepening the cooperation with the European Union. I think that our visit approves that the development of the relations between our countries goes on in right direction,” the Speaker of the Lithuanian Parliament said. He has stressed his country is ready to cooperate with Armenia in all directions and invited the Speaker of the RA National Assembly to Lithuania. Viktoras Pranckietis has informed that after the New Year the visit of the Prime Minister of Lithuania to Armenia is scheduled. “I believe that your visit will be right in time,” Viktoras Pranckietis noted during his private talk with Ararat Mirzoyan.

The RA NA Speaker has thanked his colleague for the invitation, as well as for the support that Lithuania is ready to show to Armenia in moving to democracy. “That message is very important for us. We have talked with your Ambassador, and several spheres have already been outlined, where we can focus our efforts. I would like to assure you that the fight against corruption, democracy and the protection of human rights are not empty words for us: they are values for us. We have been deprived of the opportunity to live in the democratic society for more than two decades, and it is necessary for us to fill in that gap and never get deviated from that path,” Ararat Mirzoyan assured.

The Speaker of the Lithuanian Parliament noted that the cooperation with Armenia would continue on different platforms and in different formats.

During the meeting in already extended format the Speaker of the RA National Assembly, welcoming the members of the delegation headed by the Speaker of the Lithuanian Parliament, thanked them for considerably developing the two countries’ relations. Ararat Mirzoyan has reaffirmed that Armenia is ready and wants to make closer the relations with Lithuania. The Head of the legislative body has also emphasized the parliamentary cooperation, noting that they have already discussed with the Ambassador of Lithuania to the RA concrete spheres, where they can concentrate that cooperation, exchange the experience and learn from each other. “I think that our cooperation shall develop based on common values: democracy, protection of human rights, free competition and irreconcilable fight against corruption. As our counterparts, I would like you to know that they are our fundamental values and we are not going to get deviated from this path,” Ararat Mirzoyan said to the Lithuanian parliamentarians.

He has underscored that we live in a hard region, and there are a series of unsolved issues. The Head of the Parliament expressed his gratitude to the members of the Lithuanian Parliament for backing the balanced efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group Chairmanship in the peaceful solution of the Nagorno Karabakh problem on different international platforms.

The RA NA President presented the processes being implemented in our country to the delegation of Lithuania.

“Perhaps, I should state the most essential two challenges: economic and judicial-legal. In the economic aspect I should share our preliminary small successes: here we have been able to essentially increase the budget, raise salaries in some spheres, reduce the shadow economy, and we could take other numerous small but essential steps. These small successes give me a basis to express hope that next year and in the following years we will be able to register more essential successes. But the most essential thing is that there have been changes in terms of economy: we have free competition and high ranking officials do not have their business, hence they do not create artificial monopolies and obstacles for the remaining entities.”

With regards to the judicial-legal problems the NA President noted: “During the events of the last year the Armenian people could return its executive power, then snap parliamentary elections were held which by all international most pedantic assessments were considered to be in accordance with the highest standards of democracy. And after these elections the Armenian people also took back the legislative power. I should state with great pain that we cannot say the same about the other branch of the power – the judicial power.”

The Head of the Lithuanian Parliament has noted that Lithuania is also not a unique country in terms of judicial-legal reforms and also faces a number of problems. “Last month, for example, our parliament released six judges of the highest level, as there was a doubt that they had been involved in corruption actions. I think that these problems are widely spread. Of course, your case is not special, and we hope that our experience will also be valuable for you. The judicial system has already presented laws in Lithuania for consolidation of the judicial-legal system. During recent years the faith towards the courts has considerably increased among the public. We hope that every country, including Armenia can get such trust,” Viktoras Pranckietis said.

The Head of Armenia-Lithuania Friendship Group Anush Begloian, the Secretary of the Bright Armenia Faction Gevorg Gorgisyan and the Secretary of the Prosperous Armenia Faction Arman Abovyan welcomed the Lithuanian parliamentarians.

In their turn the Lithuanian parliamentarians expressed readiness for close cooperation, welcomed the ongoing reforms in Armenia and wished success on the establishment of democracy and on the way of implementing reforms.

The Head of the Lithuanian Parliament Viktoras Pranckietis left a note in the Book of the National Assembly and planted a friendship tree in the RA National Assembly Park.