On February 22, at the special session of the National Assembly the MPs adopted for the first reading the legislative packages on Making Amendments and Addenda to the RA Law on Trade and Services, on Making Amendments and Addenda to the RA Code on Administrative Offences, onMaking Amendments to the RA Law on Self-Government, on Making Amendment to the RA Law on Making Amendments and Addenda to the RA Code on Administrative Offences, on Making Amendments and Addenda to the RA Law on Local Duties and Payments and onMaking Amendments and Addenda to the RA Law on Bank Secrecy, on Making Amendment and Addendum to the RA Law on Banks and Bank Activities, on Making Amendment and Addendum to the RA Criminal Judicial Code as well as the drafts on Making Amendments to the RA Law on Joint-Stock Companies, on Making Amendment to the RA Civil Code, onMaking Amendments and Addenda to the RA Customs Code and for the procedure of the second reading were debated the drafts on Making Amendments and Addenda to the RA Law on Licensing, onMaking Amendments and Addenda to the RA Law on State Duty, onMaking Amendments and Addenda to the RA Law on Weapons, onMaking Amendmentsto the RA Law on Nuclear Energy for Peaceful Use, onMaking Amendments and Addenda to the RA Law on Drugs, on Making Amendment to the RA Law onMaking Amendments and Addenda to the RA Law on State Duty,on Making Amendments to the RA Law on Cattle Breeding, onMaking Amendments and Addendum to the RA Law on Local Self-Government, onMaking Amendments and Addenda to the RA Law on Economic Competition and Defense, onMaking Amendments and Addendum to the RA Law on Organizing and Conducting Audits in the Republic of Armenia, onMaking Amendment to the RA Law on Control Chamber and the legislative package on Making Amendment and Addenda to the RA Law on Social Security Cards.The legislators debated for the third reading the legislative packages of the drafts on the Establishment of Tax Privileges for Construction Works of the Gas Pipeline Meghri-Kajaran, on Relations between the Republic of Armenia and the Armenian Apostolic Church, on Coming into Force the RA Judicial Code and the legislative packages on Prosecutor’s Office, on International Treaties of the Republic of Armenia and on Aviation.

The debate of the legislative package started in the previous day on Making Amendments and Addenda to the RA Law on Citizenship, on Making Addendum to the RA Law on Conscription, on Making Addendum to the RA Criminal Code, on Making Addendum to the RA Code on Administrative Offences and on Making Amendments and Addenda to the RA Electoral Code was continued.

Mr. Gurgen Arsenyan, Head of the faction expressed the view of the ULP faction. He said that the faction considers the rights of the citizens and the people of Armenia important. The ULP faction considers that a person with dual citizenship cannot be a member and Prime Minister of the Government of the Republic of Armenia, considering it as a partial loss of power of Armenia - a person with dual citizenship, undertaking the post of the Prime Minister or Minister, should refuse citizenship of other country. If the Government will not accept the proposal of the ULP faction, the faction will vote against the draft.

Mr. Grigor Haroutyunyan, secretary of the Justice faction presented the view of the faction.It was noted that the person having dual citizenship, should not have the right to vote.

Mr. Haroutyunyan, emphasizing the importance of the adoption of the dual citizenship from the view of the national security and repatriation of the Diaspora Armenians to their Motherland, informed, that the faction is against the draft.

The head of the ARF faction Mr. Hrayr Karapetyan, presenting the view of the faction, emphasized, that the interest of the adoption of the dual citizenship is great in Armenia and abroad. The head of the faction highlighted the dual citizenship in the view of consolidating the all-Armenian forces and interests.

Mr. Gagik Minasyan presenting the view of the RPA faction stressed that numerous discussions were organized on the issue of the dual citizenship in different layers of the society.Mr. Gagik Minasyan stressed that he is for the dual citizenship.

Mr. Vahan Hovhannisyan, Vice President of the National Assembly, in his special speech specified that in reality all the political forces are for the dual citizenship as an institution, norm and law. According to him, the issue of the members of the Government, having dual citizenship, is exaggerated. As the Vice President of the National Assembly assessed, every voter should know the majoritarian candidate, therefore the person with a dual citizenship should participate in the elections through the proportional list. But he doesn’t deny that the establishment of the transparent and normal electoral system is the most important thing in this issue. Mr. Hovhannisyan is convinced that the issue of the resident’s status is not a solution of the problem, as there are influential persons in our society whose vital interests has nothing in common with Armenia. Mr. Vahan Hovhannisyan called on the MPs to adopt the dual citizenship, with all the shortcomings for the future parliament to eliminate the shortcomings.

Mr. Tigran Torosyan, President of the National Assembly, in his special speech noticed that the draft has nothing to do with the national unity: “The national unity is displayed during the solution of the national problems and fortunately it is not possible to notice a similar thing yet - that is split during the solution of the national problems.” In Mr. Torosyan’s opinion, the sounded questions are not connected with the threats of the adoption of the dual citizenship – people can be only the citizens of the Republic of Armenia and have the nationality of other countries including high-ranking officials. The President of the National Assembly, touching upon the rights and duties of the persons with dual citizenship, noted that the Constitution not putting a ban for the dual citizenship, envisages differentiation. In this issue he emphasized the importance of the factor of the Armenians living in Armenia, having numerous difficulties and deprivations, but have not left their Motherland: “We should not forget, that we as MPs, have duty towards these people and we should always display a clear attitude towards those who live in the Republic of Armenia.” In the opinion of the President of the National Assembly, that very attitude should be also expressed in the legislation. Speaking about the suffrage, Mr. Torosyan expressed confidence that by voting the citizen decides his/her destiny therefore the development of Armenia determines the destiny of the people who live in our country. When the destiny of the people depends on the developments of the other countries how will they vote for the destiny of the others? “ The right to vote is also an opportunity to define own destiny and own way, this is the greatest right and in this aspect, I think, there should be a difference - those people should develop Armenia, whose life and destiny directly depend on the Republic of Armenia,” emphasized Mr. T. Torosyan. Concerning the elections Mr. Torosyan advised to take into consideration the election being connected with certain rights, especially taking into consideration the Armenians who left Armenia. “There are the same conditions for those who left Armenia and for those who stayed and, if people had such will to stay in their motherland testing all deprivations, it means that those people are worth of special respect and attitude, which should be real and reflected in the law,” assured Mr. Tigran Torosyan, President of the National Assembly. He is confident that numerous compatriots in Diaspora share his opinion. He called on not to create a barrier between those who live in Armenia and Diaspora. “I am confident that the overwhelming majority of the Armenians living both in Diaspora, and Armenia, respect this approach. This approach is important for the development of our country,” concluded Mr. Tigran Torosyan.

Mr. Davit Harutyunyan, Minister of Justice in his final speech touched upon the MPs’ proposals, which related to the possible dual citizenship of the Prime Minister and Ministers of the Republic of Armenia, the suffrage of those who have dual citizenship. The minister noted that the suffrage through the Constitution is a universal right according to him only the right to be elected can be restricted. He informed that it is impossible to impose resignation of the President of the Republic of Armenia and the President of the National Assembly by law if they received citizenship of other country during their post.

The legislators debated through the procedure of the first reading the legislative package on Making Amendments and Addenda to the RA Law on Legal Persons’ State Registration, submitted by the Minister of Justice Mr. D. Harutyunyan.

The endorsement of the NA Standing Committee on State and Legal Affairs presented Mr. Rafik Petrosyan, Chairman of the Committee.

The Minister of Justice Mr. D. Harutyunyan also presented the draft of the RA Law on Operative-Research Activity was for the first reading.

The Justice Minister informed that by the amendment to the laws on Post Communication and on Public Services Regulating Body the Government aims to regulate the rates of universal services of post communication the principles and the order of their formation. The rates of universal services of post communication will define the committee regulating the public services.

Mr. Tigran Sargsyan, Chairman of the Central Bank presented the legislative package, debated through the first reading, on Insurance and Insurance Activity.

After the debate for the first reading of the Articles 15, 30 and 45 of the draft on Making Amendments and Addenda to the RA Law on the Rules of Procedure of the National Assembly, the debate of the draft for the procedure of the second reading was organized. Mr. Petrosyan is sure that the Constitutional Court would have to define certain terms, giving opportunity to the parliament to sign contracts with the TV companies for covering and showing the works of the National Assembly.

Touching upon the coverage and showing of the works of the National Assembly by the public TV c ompanies, the MPs Mr. Viktor Dallakyan and Mr. Hovhannes Margaryan stated that the parliament is in conditions of TV blockade.

The MP Grigor Ghonjeyan does not see the necessity of enshrining by law the number and formation of the standing committees of the future parliament.

The drafts on Making Amendments to the RA Law on TV and Radio, on Making Amendments and Addendum to the RA Law on the Rules of Procedure of TV and Radio National Commission, on Making Amendments and Addenda to the RA Law on Funds and on Making Amendments and Addenda to the RA Customs Code were debated for the second reading.

Exhausting the agenda, the special session of the National Assembly ended its works. The voting of the debated drafts by the agreement of the Government and the National Assembly will be organized during the upcoming four-day sittings of the National Assembly.