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Honourable President of the Republic of Armenia,

Your Holiness,

Dear colleagues,

I congratulate everybody on the occasion of having a new session hall of the National Assembly. I express my gratitude to the President of the Republic of Armenia, who bolstered this initiative and assisted in the issue of calling this into life. I also thank all organizers, architects and builders, who really put their heart in this work. And finally I thank all of you, dear colleagues, for your advice, warm heartedness and the positive impetus that we have received from you during this whole period.

The repaired and the modified session hall of the National Assembly is a unique present and an expression of respect to the parliament of the third republic of Armenia, which became 20 years old this year. A parliament, which has adopted the Declaration of the endependence of Armenia, which forming the legislative field of the country and strengthening the bases of our state house, also continues to remain a democratic arena of debate of all-people’s and all-state problems. By the way, the construction of this building, where the National Assembly works, completed in 1950, and in this respect it is also symbolic that the opening of the new session hall of the National Assembly coincides with the 60th anniversary of the parliament building.

From now on our parliament will work in the new session hall of the National Assembly. I think that it was important to have a session hall, which  meets the requirements of time, but it is also consonant with the spirit of parliamentarism from the view of modernizing the deputies’ working conditions, effectively organizing the works of the legislative body and the public perception of the parliament’s role. Besides the modern technical upgrading and convenience, the session hall, as you see, has been reconstructed and has become oval-shaped.

The oval-shape structure of the hall has its mystery: the sessions of the National Assembly remind debates being held around the round table. The choice of that structure is not accidental. Many years ago the round table is considered a symbol of cooperation, targeted debates, as logically around the round table the interlocutors move not through front and personified attacks towards each other, but also through the searches of the effective ways of the solution of the problem.

According to a legend, the idea of the round table was born in the 12th century, though it is much older and has also been special to the Armenian reality. According to the tradition, King Arthur in that way deprived his knights of the opportunity of the disputable issue of sitting closer to the top of the table. The round table has no angles, so those sitting around the round table are equally liable and responsible for the adopted decisions.

What was striving King Arthur is topical today. I am sure that the spirit of knight will be ruling in this hall, which, first of all, will be expressed with mutual respect and tolerance towards others’ opinion. It does not mean at all that in this hall the competitiveness, dispute and criticism should lack. No, of course, those are indivisible elements of the political life, but they should not become end in itself revelations of our happenings and life.

In connection with this I would like once again to remember the following provisions of the Article 66 of the Constitution of the Republic of Armenia: “A Deputy shall not be bound by an imperative mandate and shall be guided by his conscience and convictions.

Honourable President,

Your Holiness,

Ladies and gentlemen,

The new hall will make changes in the work style of the National Assembly, but it also has potential of promoting changes in content. We have repeatedly spoken about it, and from now on with the aim of turning the word into action we should do our best in order to make the parliament, one of the most important institutes of the state, the parliament in the public perception both as a pillar of statehood and the most serious structure being concerned about every citizen’s life and problems.

Yes, we certainly have the problem of making the parliament more understandable, closer and perceptible for the people. We have that problem for many years. In this direction we have already managed to take certain steps, for many people the National Assembly has already stopped being a hidden closed structure behind the mysterious and numerous doors. We broke those notions of being mysterious. But we also have the problem of strengthening the mystery of the National Assembly, continuously increasing its stable respect and popularity. We’ll do this by our work and with faith. There is no way out. And we should always remember that the individual is elected a deputy for only certain period, and the role and name of the parliament are built for the future. This is that we should remember every day coming to work.

We’ll continue to show with concrete results of our work that we have always managed to talk open and distinct, honest even about the most complicated problems, not ever misleading anybody, be owner of his/her word, consistently reach our united goal, which the strengthening of our state. And it is not possible with our public support, confidence, without the citizens, who support that goal, who wish to live in a well-to-do and good state. Today we are on the way of those changes.

Dear colleagues,

Despite the difficulties of the global financial-economic crisis, opposed to us, today we may confidently speak that the Republic of Armenia will with honour faced those challenges. Here I consider necessary to especially stress the unfailing activities of the social-political system of our country. Finally, we should not forget that highest tribune of the political life of the country is the parliament.

Here, in the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia the tensest debates were held, which sometimes were getting the shape of the most serious disputes between the representatives of the legislative and executive powers. I assess that as a natural and positive phenomenon, which stems from the constitutional system of our country. We’ll remember that, according to the basic law of our country the three branches of the power are able to mutually have the authorities of checks and balances.

Yes, the National Assembly is the bearer of the legislative power, where the political forces of different political positions shall make decisions through civilized way and direct the future of our country. I am glad that numerous questions raised by the representatives of the opposition during this period were solved, as the political coalition never aspired to avoid its opposition’s views.

At the same time the parliament is a platform of political struggle, where frequently can also be tense disputes and disagreements. In any case that should not never become an occasion of offending each other or showing intolerance. I address to all deputies and to myself, first of all. I have always tried with my own example to show respect and be attentive to everybody. It’s not always that I have agreed with you, but I have always listened to your approaches, I have tried to understand your concerns and to find the solution of your raised questions.

I am sure that the atmosphere of mutual respect and attention should rule in our parliament. Today, when we begin our work in this new hall, which complies with the European standards, we also should be much more faithful to European values, which are laid in the basis parliamentary and legislative activity.

Honourable President,

Your Holiness,

Dear guests,

I am thankful that by your presence you honoured our ceremony and shared our joy.

Once again I congratulate all my colleagues on the occasion of the opening of this new session hall of the National Assembly. I wish you fruitful work for the welfare of our people and for strengthening our people and strengthening of our statehood.

Thank you.”