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On September 18, the RA National Assembly continued the work of the regular sittings passing by voting the bills debated on the previous day, except the bill on Making Amendments and Addenda to the RA Criminal Procedure Code authored by the RA NA deputies Nikolay Baghdasaryan and Sergey Atomyan, which will be submitted for debate after revising it.

Afterwards the MPs discussed three draft laws with the same content: on Ratifying the Protocol of Applying the Agreement on the Readmission of the Persons Residing without Authorisation between the Government of the Republic of Armenia and the Government of the Republic of Bulgaria, on Ratifying the Protocol of Applying the Agreement on the Readmission of the Persons Residing without Authorisation between the Republic of Armenia and the Benelux States (the Kingdom of Belgium, the Duchy of Luxembourg and the Kingdom of the Netherlands), between the European Union and the Republic of Armenia and on Ratifying the Protocol of Applying the Agreement on the Readmission of the Persons Residing without Authorisation between the Government of the Republic of Armenia and the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany signed on 19 April 2013 between the Republic of Armenia and the European Union, presented by the Head of the Migration Service of the RA Territorial Administration and Infrastructure Armen Ghazaryan.

The RA NA Standing Committee on Foreign Relations endorsed the agreements.

The draft law on Cinematography authored by the RA NA deputies Anna Kostanyan, Mkhitar Hayrapetyan, Vahagn Tevosyan, Artur Manukyan and Arman Yeghoyan with the enclosed legislative package was debated in the first reading.

Artur Manukyan presented the endorsement of the RA NA Standing Committee on Science, Education, Culture, Diaspora, Youth and Sport, noting the special role of the cinema art in the people’s life.

The RA Deputy Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport Arayik Khzmalyan presented the opinion of the Government, informing that the Government has some objections and proposals, among them the expediency of giving tax privileges to the cinema sphere.

On September 15, Yervand Khundkaryan elected the CC Judge, in accordance with the RA law on the Constitutional Court, at the sitting of the National Assembly was sworn into office.

Afterwards, the parliament continued the draft law on Cinematography and the package of the enclosed presented draft laws.

The MPs thanked the authors of the draft law for the legislative initiative, expressing conviction that it would promote the development of the sphere. In their speeches the MPs touched upon the issues on creating favourable conditions for film production, establishing tax privileges, the regulation of film renting and the formation of the favourable environment of the investments.

On behalf of the RA NA My Step Faction, the Chair of the RA NA Standing Committee on Science, Education, Culture, Diaspora, Youth and Sport Mkhitar Hayrapetyan thanked his colleagues, the co-authors of the law and Ara Khzmalyan for one-month cooperation.

Accepting the anti-arguments voiced in the speeches, the rapporteur, nevertheless highlighted that alternative mechanisms would be proposed.

In his final speech Ara Khzmalyan once again has underlined that the executive body has no disagreement in terms of content on the cultural component of the draft law, it is simply proposed to specify the amendments, in order the revision provisions will be less later.

In his final speech the key rapporteur Anna Kostanyan thanked the participants for the observations, noting that the works should be continued, discussing also the decision of the Government, especially in financial aspect. Anna Kostanyan has underscored that the state means has been worked out by the bill expedient and strategy of more efficiently spending them. The Committee endorsed the draft law.

The Chairman of the RA State Revenue Committee Edvard Hovhannisyan presented the draft law on Ratifying the Credit Agreement Meghri Border Checkpoint Programme signed between the Republic of Armenia and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development signed on 7 February 2020.

The co-rapporteur the Deputy Chair of the RA NA Standing Committee on Financial-Credit and Budgetary Affairs Artak Manukyan emphasized the necessity of the adoption of the draft law and called on the MPs to vote for the draft law, noting that it was endorsed at the Committee.

The draft law on Making Addendum to the RA Water Code was debated in the first reading procedure.

The member of the Head Committee, the RA NA Standing Committee on Territorial Administration, Local Self-Government, Agriculture and Environment Hrant Ayvazyan presented the endorsement of the Committee.

The bill on Making Amendment and Addenda to the Law on Social Support of Border Communities authored by the deputies of the RA NA My Step faction Sisak Gabrielyan, Sipan Pashinyan.

The member of the RA NA Standing Committee on Territorial Administration, Local Self-Government, Agriculture and Environment Sergey Movsisyan emphasized the initiative and voiced the endorsement of the Committee.

The RA Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure Suren Papikyan noted that all recommendations presented by the executive body were passed.

The bill on Making Amendments and Addenda to the RA Law on Education authored by the Government was also debated in the first reading presented by the RA Deputy Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport Zhanna Andreasyan.

The member of the NA Committee on Science, Education, Culture, Diaspora, Youth and Sport Sofia Hovsepyan presented the endorsement of the Committee.

The package of the bills on Amending the RA Tax Code and on Amending the RA Law on the Notice of the Activity Implementation was discussed in the first reading, presented by the RA Deputy Minister of Economy Avag Avanesyan.

The member of the RA NA Standing Committee on Economic Affairs Hayk Gevorgyan voiced the endorsement of the Committee.

The draft law on Ratifying the Agreement on Financial Cooperation for 2018 between the Government of the Republic of Armenia and the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany signed on 7 April 2020, presented by the RA Deputy Minister of Economy Varos Simonayn, was also discussed,

The Deputy Chair of the RA NA Standing Committee on Financial-Credit and Budgetary Affairs Artak Manukyan presented the endorsement of the Committee.

Afterwards voting was held, and the initiatives debated during the day were passed.

Covering the agenda, the parliament ended the work of the regular sittings.