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On March 17 the co-rapporteurs of the Monitoring Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) Lord John Prescott and Alex Fischer within the framework of their visit to Armenia met the members of the NA Standing Committee on State and Legal Affairs.

The co-rapporteur of PACE Monitoring Committee Lord John Prescott noted that one of the goals of their visit was to understand what progress had recorded the committee within its authorities and report about it to the Assembly. He noted with satisfaction that reforms had been made in the country and were still going on long-term and short one, but there are non-solved issues yet.

Davit Harutyunyan noted that though the committee’s authorities were limited, nevertheless the committee within its formats had also touched upon the problem of the imprisoned persons and it was in the centre of attention of the authorities.

Touching upon the work of the committee connected with the March 1 events Mr Harutyunyan noted that the study of the activity of the police during the March 1 events had especially been highlighted. In this sphere the situation has been radically, and the laws had been changed. The Committee also carries out control to clarify what steps are taken in the government from the viewpoint of the police reforms. In this context Mr Harutyunyan documented with satisfaction that the government responded the committee’s demands. In the issue of complaints against police the Committee Chairman said that an attempt had been made to create a body investigating complaints, however as the police system is still in the phase of reforms, the creation of such body would mingle the situation. According to Mr Harutyunyan, after the reforms of the system they will turn to the creation of that body in 2012.

Mr Harutyumyan noted that the draft law of the opposition of the Electoral Code had been received. The draft laws presented by the power and the opposition will be submitted to the parliament, and they will be debated in alternative way. A new draft law concerning the freedom of the assemblies will also be debated in the committee, and the Venice Commission will give an endorsement on it. Mr Harutyunyan noted that in this issue the active participation of the opposition is expected too.

According to the member of the Committee Artyush Shahbazyan, there are still many non-solved problems on eve of the elections. He said that the ARF faction enclorsed reservations to the conclusion of the Ad-hoc Inquiry Committee on March 1 Events on the actions of the police being non-legal and non-adequate and on the death circumstances of the 10 victims.

One of the members of the committee Koryun Nahapetyan also highlighted the key role of the committee not only in the improvement of the legislation, but also as a Committee implementing monitoring. He stressed that the committee with its activities tried to give impetus to the legal reforms being implemented in the country, which, to his conviction, should be visible for the society.

At the end of the meeting, Mr Prescott highlighted the wide-scope work done by the parliamentary committee and noted that he would report to the Assembly that the works in the committee were going in right way.

On the same day the co-rapporteurs of the Monitoring Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe John Prescott and Alex Fischer met the Chairman of the NA Standing Committee on Science, Education, Culture, Youth and Sport Artak Davtyan, the members of the committee Lilit Galstyan and Artak Zakaryan.

During the meeting the sides touched upon the legislation regulating the sphere of the mass media, in particular, the amendments being envisaged in RA law on Television and Radio.

PACE Monitoring Committee co-rapporteur John Prescott informed the committee members that they had met the Chairman of the National Commission on Television and Radio (NCTR) Grigor Amalyan and discussed a number of issues  existing in the sphere, which the representatives of the opposition voiced. It relates, in particular, to the TV air being provided to the candidates during the pre-electoral period, which, according to the opposition, is not equally delivered.

John Prescott also noted that in a number of meetings the opposition considered unacceptable the functioning order of the formation of NCTR. The co-rapporteur John Prescott expressed hope that reforms predetermined in the sphere would prmote the improvement of the situation. According to the co-rapporteur’s assessment, the positive changes done are obvious, and they will be included in the upcoming report.

Touching upon the progress in the sphere indicated by the co-rapporteur John Prescott the Committee Chairman Artak Davtyan noticed that the CoE Human Rights Commissioner Thomas Hammarberg also noted on March 1 in the periodical The Journalist’s Ethics and Human Rights, recording that in Armenia certain reforms had been made in the sphere of mass media. The access of information and decriminalization of the article on slender enjoyed certain attention.

He said that by the European experts’ practical support amendments have been made in a number of laws regulating the sphere.

The Committee Chairman Artak Davtyan said that on the initiative of RA Human Rights Defender a working group had been created, which would discuss the proposals directed to the improvement of RA Law on Television and Radio.

The Committee member Lilit Galstyan noticed that though months ago the bill envisaging amendments to RA Law on Television and Radio had been passed, and it was more acceptable, nevertheless there were some concerns. Lilit Galstyan said that the ARF had presented about 40 proposals, the majority of which had not been accepted, so the faction had voted against the bill. It was noted that now the faction submitted 60 proposals for debate to the newly created working group.

The provision of the transparent work of NCTR and the affirmation of such mechanism of formation, which would also provide the presence of the opposition, was highlighted.

Highlighting the co-rapporteur John Prescott’s assessments, the committee member Artak Zakaryan noted that the path of democratization adopted by Armenia was distinct, thus everything possible was done to record new progress in the sphere and approach the European standards.

Touching upon the proposals made on RA Law on Television and Radio he said that not only part of the proposals made by ARF faction had been accepted, but also many proposals by the Heritage faction and by the civil society.