1 / 22

On March 12, the RA NA Standing Committee on Territorial Administration, Local Self-Government, Agriculture and Environment convened parliamentary hearings to debate the amendments and addenda being proposed to the law on the RA Administrative-Territorial Division.

Representatives of the communities, local NGOs and international organizations and those responsible for the sphere took part in the hearings.

The Committee Chair Varazdat Karapetyan noted that the key of discussions is the issue of unification of Ijevan and Lermontovo communities of Lori Marz. According to him, Armenia has no alternative but decentralization. It was noted that the possibilities of the legislative amendments on financial leveling would be debated.

He highlighted the continuous decentralization and underlined the role of the parliament in the unification of the communities.

In his key speech the Head of the Local Self-Government Policy Department of the RA Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure Ashot Giloyan noted that the executive body proposed to make amendments and addenda to the laws on the RA Administrative Division and on Local Self-Government conditioned by ensuring the continuity of the administrative territorial reforms. The legislative amendment proposes to hold the elections of the local self-government on June 14.

In their speeches the parliamentarians and those responsible for the sphere raised questions on the positive and controversial sides of the enlargement process.

The Deputy Chair of the Committee Sergey Bagratyan noted that in case of every community enlargement we should show individual approach. To the MP’s conviction the citizen’s word should be audible in the legislative body of the country: in this context he evaluated the society-parliament cooperation.

The NA deputy Mikayel Melkumyan talked about the necessity of the structure of the municipalities as a result of community enlargement and the revision of the functions and the set of tools of the assessment of the work of the community head, touched upon the schedule of taking the steps following the enlargement process. He was for holding the local referendum on this issue.

As the NA deputy Hrant Ayvazyan assessed, we should study and take into consideration the people’s opinion on the process. The MP referred to the necessity of the encouragement of the investments in the communities and the implementation of the relevant steps for keeping the young people of marzes on the spot.

In their speeches the RA Deputy Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure Vache Terteryan and the RA NA Standing Committee on Territorial Administration, Local Self-Government, Agriculture and Environment Varazdat Karapetyan reflected upon the voiced opinions and assessments and talked about the opportunities given to the enlargement. The Deputy Minister has underscored that 52 enlargement communities. He emphasized the opportunity of the implementation of the effective programmes in those communities. According to the speakers, the government is on the right way in this process.