On May 18 the regular sittings of the National Assembly began by enshrinement on making addenda to the agenda of the fifth session of the fourth convocation, on the agenda of the four-day sittings and also the draft decisions of the National Assembly on special order of a number of draft laws.

The President of the National Assembly said that Mr. Artur Aghabekysn, Chairman of the Standing Committee on Defense, National Security and Internal Affairs of the National Assembly presented a resignation and Mr. Gagik Melikyan, Member of Parliament replaced Mr. Samvel Nikoyan, Chairman of the Ad-Hoc Committee on Counting of the National Assembly.

The National Assembly adopted by voting the three bills and international two agreements, debated during the last sitting and the voting for the draft packages foreseeing amendments to the Criminal Code and to the bill on Hunt and on Running the Hunting Economy was postponed by Mr. Viktor Dallakyan, Member of Parliament.

Then Mr. Hovik Abrahamyan, President of the National Assembly proposed to debate the issue on the agenda of the four-day sittings of the National Assembly on election of the Vice President of the National Assembly and the Chairman to the Standing Committee on Science, Education, Culture, Youth and Sport of the National Assembly.

Mr. Galust Sahakyan, Head of the RPA faction proposed the candidacy of Mr. Samvel Nikoyan for the vacancy of the post of the Vice President of the National Assembly.

The only candidate Mr. Samvel Nikoyan, thanked the Republican Party of Armenia and the faction for trust and answered the MPs’ questions.

Mr. Gagik Minasyan, on behalf of the RPA faction and Mr. Aram Safaryan, on behalf of the PAP faction certified that Mr. Samvel Nikoyan would work productively and called their colleagues to vote for the candidate.

The MPs Mr. Hovhannes Margaryan and Ms. Naira Zohrabyan highly praised the candidate Mr. Samvel Nikoyan and Ms. Larisa Alaverdyan, Member of Parliament, noted that if Mr. Samvel Nikoyan is elected he should become an MP of more principle.

In his completing speech Mr. Samvel Nikoyan thanked for the trust and warm words.

Mr. Galust Sahakyan, Head of the RPA faction, on behalf of the faction proposed the candidacy of Mr. Artak Davtyan, Member of Parliament for the vacant post of the Chairman of the Standing Committee on Science, Education, Culture, Youth and Sport of the National Assembly.

The candidate thanked for the trust and said that he is well aware of the responsibility, which he was going to undertake after being elected in that post. He presented his plans, related to organization of productive works and answered the MPs’ questions.

The MPs Mr. Styopa Safaryan, Mr. Armen Martirosyan and Ms. Larisa Alaverdyan, in their speeches touched upon the issues, present in the authority areas of the committee and expressed hope that the future chairman of the committee would be consistent to regulate those issues.

Mr. Aram Safaryan, on behalf of the PAP faction and Mr. Mkrtich Minasyan, on behalf of the RPA faction praised the candidate and called to vote in favour of Mr. Artak Davtyan.

Mr. Gagik Melikyan, Chairman of the Ad-Hoc Standing Committee on Accounting of the National Assembly said that at the second meeting of the Accounting Committee the issue was debated on organization of the election of the candidates for the two vacant posts.

After voting, Mr. Gagik Melikyan, Chairman of the Ad-Hoc Standing Committee on Accounting of the National Assembly, said that as a result of voting Mr. Samvel Nikoyan was elected to the post of Vice President of the National Assembly with 104 votes for and 3 votes against, and Mr. Artak Davtyan was elected to the post of the Chairman of the Standing Committee on Science, Education, Culture, Youth and Sport of the National Assembly with the votes of 102 for and 6 against.

The National Assembly debated, submitted for the second reading the package of the bills, proposing addenda and amendments to the laws on Urban Development and to a number of laws, the bills on Making Amendments and Addenda to the Law of the Republic of Armenia on Aviation, on Making Addenda and Amendments to the Law of the Republic of Armenia on Psychiatric Care on Making Addenda to the Law of the Republic of Armenia on Administrative-Territorial Division of the Republic of Armenia, on Making Amendments and Addenda to the Law of the Republic of Armenia on Acts of Civil Status Records on Making Amendments and Addenda to the Law of the Republic of Armenia on Administrative Offenses, on Making Amendments to the Land Code of the Republic of Armenia and the bills, submitted for the third reading on State Courier Service.

Mr. Hovhannes Margaryan, co-author, presented the bill on Making Amendment and Addenda to the Law of the Republic of Armenia on State Border of Armenia

The debate of the issue will be continued at the May 19 sitting of the National Assembly.