The theme of the parliamentary hearings of the Standing Committees on State and Legal Affairs and Territorial Management and Local Self-Government of the National Assembly, organized on December 10 and 11 was the draft of the RA Law, presented for the second reading on Local Self Government and Territorial Management in Yerevan City. Representatives of legislative and executive authorities, NGOs, representatives of non-parliamentary parties etc. participated in the hearings. Mr. Hovik Abrahamyan, President of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia was also present at the parliamentary hearings.

In his opening speech Mr. Davit Harutyunyan, Chairman of the Standing Committee on State and Legal Affairs of the National Assembly said that the adoption of the draft emerges from the constitutional reforms. According to the Chairman of the committee there should be constitutional reform for the elections of the Local Self-Government Bodies to be realized simultaneously.

Mr. Hovhannes Margaryan, Chairman of the Standing Committees on Territorial Management and Local Self-Government of the National Assembly took an opening floor. He said that the developed draft law on Local Self Government and Territorial Management in Yerevan City needs to be improved. Talking on the provisions of the draft Mr. Margaryan said that Yerevan is a community as defined by the Constitution. According to the chairman of the committee in the nearest future, after the adoption and practical realization of the law, this model of Local Self Government should be implemented in Gyumri and Vanadzor, other big cities of the Republic of Armenia.

Mr. Vache Terteryan, Deputy Minister of Territorial Administration, taking the floor on the theme of the “Establishment Peculiarities of Territorial Management and the Local Self Government Bodies in Yerevan,” said that representatives of the NGOs and European expert groups participated in the deliberation of the bill.The Local Self Government in Yerevan will be based on the law on Local Self Government, which complies with the European Declaration on Local Self Government.

Summing up the works of the first part of the parliamentary hearings and touching upon the speeches, questions and proposals Mr. Davit Harutyunyan, Chairman of the Standing Committee on State and Legal Affairs of the National Assembly said that the proposal, related to the unification of the communities, was not right as, after the adoption of the Constitution as well as establishment of Local Self Government, the communities will be the means of administrative management, and called for the local authority to be closer to people.

Mr. Hrayr Tovmasyan, Candidate of Juridical sciences and a Lawyer of German Technical Cooperation, in the speech on “General Characterization of the Authorities of Local Self Government Bodies in Yerevan, their Cooperation with the Legislative Bodies: - Mayors and Aldermen” talked on the necessity of the adoption of the bill, on peculiarities of Local Self Government and Territorial Management.

The MPs and the representatives of the NGOs raised issues, related to the realization of the institute of alderman, rights of the aldermen, having the post of the president of the alderman, the activity order of the standing committees, the role of the opposition in the staff of the alderman and the official web site of municipality.

Summing up the parliamentary hearings of December 10, Mr. Davit Harutyunyan, Chairman of the Standing Committee on State and Legal Affairs of the National Assembly, touched upon the presented concerns and proposals, stressing that the adoption of the law emerges from the present political relations. He highlighted the role of the alderman for the municipality and the political responsibility given to the alderman for making decisions.

The parliamentary hearings will be continued on December 11.