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On April 28 the National Assembly began the work of the next four-day sittings. After approving the agendas of the session and the four-day sittings, as well as the NA decisions on the special order of debating a number of bills, the NA deputies by voting passed 3 bills debated in the previous sitting and ratified 1 international treaty. As a result of voting, the NA decision “ On Creating an Ad-hoc Inquiry Committee of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia Studying the Influence of the Use of the Speedodetectors and Video Cameras for the RA Individual Entrepreneurs and Legal Entities for the period of 2012-2013, Paid Parking, Possible Increase of Yerevan Transport Fees, Mandatory Insurance Fines Execution on Obsolete Cars,” introduced on the four factions’ initiative, was not accepted.

The NA Acting Speaker Eduard Sharmazanov informed the attendees that the NA deputies from the RPA proportional electoral list had been registered Lernik Alexanyan, Gagik Melikyan and Vahram Mkrtchyan.

The Head of the Rule of Law faction Heghine Bisharyan announced about their faction becoming an opposition.

The NA deputies continued debating the draft law “On Amending the RA Law on Approval of Annual and Complex Measures on Restoration, Conservation, Reproduction and Use of Lake Sevan Ecosystem.”

The ANC and PAP factions presented their viewpoints on the bill.

The Head of the ANC faction Levon Zurabyan has noted that their faction is against the submitted draft law.

Introducing the view of the PAP faction Mikayel Melkumyan has noticed that the position of the PAP will be conditioned by the attitude and approaches shown by the authorities towards their interpellations.

In his final speech the Chairman of the Water Economy State Committee of the RA Territorial Administration Ministry Andranik Andreasyan thanked the attendees for the concerning debates, at the same time urging the opposition to be led by real facts.

The next item related to the election of the Speaker of the National Assembly.

The Secretary of the RPA faction Hovhannes Sahakyan has informed the deputies that the RPA has nominated the candidacy of the Head of the RPA faction Galust Sahakyan in the NA Speaker’s post, and the Secretary of the Heritage faction Tevan Poghosyan has announced that the Heritage faction sees Rubik Hakobyan in that post. Hrant Bagratyan was self-nominated in the NA Speaker’s post.

The NA Speaker’s three candidacies took the floor.

Galust Sahakyan thanked the Republican Party for being nominated in that responsible post and assured that he would do his best to maintain positive traditions and more deepen them. He highlighted that new culture shaped between the political forces and deputies in the National Assembly, deemed necessary that pluralism and fair criticism, and defamation is unacceptable.

He emphasized the rise of the role of the Standing Committees for providing the regular work and effective legislative activities of the National Assembly and the detailed debates of the bills with the government.

Hrant Bagratyan briefly presented his past working path and experience in the administration system, then introduced his programme of reforms of the National Assembly, highlighted the renewal of the budgetary process, the enlargement of the deputies’ rights, the reforms of the judicial system, the increase of the role of referenda and the rise of the NA role in the foreign policy and in the economic management system.

According to Rubik Hakobyan, the adoption of the law on executive and judicial bodies, opposition, the increase of the NA control functions, the elimination of the majoritarian electoral system, the increase of the NA representation role, the strengthening of the professional parliament, the return to the three-day sittings, the elimination of the oilgarchy and the development of small and medium entrepreneurship.

In the name of the ARF Armen Rustamyan announced that their faction would not take part in voting, as the results were predetermined, the member of the Rule of Law faction Hovhannes Margaryan and the member of the PAP faction Naira Zohrabyan informed that their factions would make a decision before voting and would express their position.

In his final speech Rubik Hakobyan has informed the attendees that he is going to withdraw his candidacy, so that the four political forces will not have a problem with orientation. Hrant Bagratyan has announced that the nomination of his candidacy has no relation with the ANC faction: that is self-nomination, and Galust Sahakyan has thanked Hrant Bagratyan for not withdrawing his candidacy, as he is for competition.

The NA Speaker’s election will be held at April 29 sitting of the National Assembly.