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Under the sounds of the state anthem of Armenia on February 4 the third session of the National Assembly of the RA Fifth convocation launched.

First the President of the National Assembly Hovik Abrahamyan presented the agenda of the draft laws of the session, then the four-day sittings, as well as decisions on postponing a number of draft laws. By voting the parliament approved the two agendas. Because of insufficient number of votes the legislative initiative “On Creating NA Ad-hoc Committee for Submitting RA NA Conclusion Through Making a Study on Legality of Allowing Operation of Teghut Copper-Molybdenum Mine” was not included in the session agenda.

At the first sitting of the session, under the NA Rules of Procedure, an Ad-hoc Counting Committee is formed. The NA President proposed to approve again the order functioning in the previous session and called on to propose candidates for the Counting Committee and Committee on Ethics.

The Head of the parliament said that Khachatur Kokobelyan has gone out of the Heritage faction.

Turning to the debate of the agenda items the parliament listened to several draft laws presented in the procedure of the second reading.

The RPA deputy Karine Atchemyan submitted for assessment the draft law “On Amending the Law on State Non-Commercial Organizations.”

Vache Terteryan, Deputy Minister of the Territorial Administration, presented the amendments proposed by the Government in the law “On Community Service.”

The legislative initiative “On Provision of Equal Rights and Equal Opportunities for Women and Men” was passed in the first reading a year ago. In her co-speech the Chairwoman of the NA Standing Committee on Protection of Human Rights and Public Affairs Elinar Vardanyan endorsed the initiative.

In her extraordinary speech the NA Vice President Hermine Naghdalyan also highlighted this initiative, which had passes 10-year path.

Naira Zohrabyan said that the Prosperous Armenia faction would vote for the draft law.

In the final speech the representative of the Government said that they had chosen the best version, which would be improved later.

The draft laws on amending the law “On Railway Transport” and “The Code on Administrative Infringements” have been amended after the first reading.

The Committee on Economic Affairs endorsed the next initiative “On Amending the Law on Organization and Holding the RA Check Ups” presented by the deputy Hakob Hakobyan for the second reading.

The Deputy Defense Minister Ara Nazaryan presented for debate in the first reading the draft law “On Amending the Law on Approving the Statute of the RA Armed Forces’ Inner Service” and the bills “On Amending the RA Law on Higher Educational and Post Higher Educational Specialized Education” and “On Amending the RA Law on Approving the Statute of the Garrison and Guard Services of the RA Armed Forces.”

The bill “On Amending the RA Customs Code” and on Amending the RA Law “On Approval of List of Goods Imported by Organization and Private Entrepreneurs, That Have '0' Customs Duty Rate and are Not Subject to Excise Taxation and for Which Value Added Tax Shall Not Be Calculated and Collected by Customs Authorities.”

The NA Head Committee endorsed the bill.

By presentation of the RA Minister of Labor and Social Affairs Artem Asatryan the parliament debated in the first reading the bills “On Amending the RA Law on the Veterans of the Great Patriotic War,” “On Amending the RA Law on the Provision of the Payment, Service and Security of the President of the Republic of Armenia” and “On Amending the RA Law on the Repressed Persons.”

The NA President Hovik Abrahamyan recorded that, according to the draft law, the state does not want to charge its citizens, but allows the commercial banks to do it. According to the NA President, this is not a solution for the problem - moreover, it’s not honest. He proposed to find an effective version for the solution of the problem, which will stem from the people’s interests.

The NA deputies Aghvan Vardanyan, Artsvik Minasyan, Edmon Marukyan and Khosrov Harutyunyan delivered speeches on the issue.

Artem Asatryan and the Chairman on RA Standing Committee on Social Affairs Hakob Hakobyan proposed to pass the draft law in the first reading, and the thoroughly debate up to the second reading and find solution taking into account the proposals.

On February 5 the National Assembly will continue the work of the four-day sittings.