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On April 4, the RA National Assembly began the work of the regular four-day sittings.

At the beginning of the sitting the MPs paid a one-minute silence in memory of the Armenian servicemen and civilians perished as a consequence of Azerbaijan’s provoking actions at Karabakh-Azerbaijani Line of Contact during recent days.

Afterwards the NA Deputy Speaker Eduard Sharmazanov read the Statement by the Political Factions and Members of Parliament not included in any Faction of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia on Violation of the Ceasefire Regime and Resumption of Large-Scale Military Operations by Azerbaijan on the Karabakh-Azerbaijani Line of Contact. You can get acquainted with the text of the Statement on the NA official website.

The political forces represented in parliament also in their speeches touched upon the situation on the Karabakh-Azerbaijani Line of Contact, condemning Azerbaijan’s provoking actions.

Afterwards the NA Deputy Speaker Eduard Sharmazanov presented the NA draft decisions on the agendas of the session, then the four-day sittings, as well as on the postponements and amendments. The parliament approved by voting the draft laws of the agendas.

Then the MPs by voting passed the draft law on Amendments to the RA Law on Control towards the Export of the Goods of Double Importance, Their Transit Transportation through the RA, as well as Transfer of the Information of Double Importance and Results of Mental Activities with enclosed package and the draft law on Amendments to the RA Law on State Awards and Honourable Titles of the Republic of Armenia.

The parliament in the first reading continued debating the bill on Amendments to the RA Law on Sub-units of the Civil Defense and the enclosed legislative package.

The NA deputies Hovhannes Margaryan, Mher Shahgeldyan, Naira Zohrabyan, Gagik Melikyan, Heghine Bisharyan, Mikayel Melkumyan presented their viewpoints on the package.

In his final speech the Chairman of the NA Standing Committee on Defense, National Security and Internal Affairs Koryun Nahapetyan has noted that the government has a distinct position in this sphere in implementing more distinct policy in this sphere. In his word, stemming from the created situation, the events directed to the upgrading of the civil defense system should become more purposeful. Touching upon the sounded proposals and the speeches, the Committee Chairman has expressed conviction that the debates on the issue confirm that combining of the efforts in the formation and establishment of this system is more than topical.

The Deputy Minister of the Emergency Situations Haykaram Mkhitaryan once again has underlined that the goal of the regulations given by the draft law is to further raise the efficiency of the activities of the civil defense forces. He expressed readiness to cooperate during the period from the first to the second reading.

The legislative package on Amendments to the RA Law on Inspection Bodies and on Amendments to the RA Law on Civil Service was debated in the first reading submitted by the RA Minister of Economy Artsvik Minasyan.

The NA Standing Committee on State and Legal Affairs endorsed the legislative package.

The MPs Naira Zohrabyan, Mikayel Melkumyan, Vardan Ayvazyan, Heghine Bisharyan, Hovhannes Margaryan and Hrant Bagratyan delivered speeches on the package.

In his final speech the key reporter Artsvik Minasyan touched upon the deputies’ interpellations and gave clarifications. The Minister informed that a discussion on the package will be organized in future.

During the sitting the NA Deputy Speaker informed those present that the RA President met with the Ambassadors of the OSCE member countries, where he announced that if, indeed, the military operations continue and acquire a large scale, the Republic of Armenia will recognize the independence of Nagorno Karabakh. The President has underlined that Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh are for stopping the military operations and strongly observe the 1994 ceasefire regime, and all military units return to their positions. Serzh Sargsyan has distinctly stated that the ceasefire signed by Azerbaijan is in force, and Azerbaijan not as a manifestation of good will, but as an international obligation should follow the letter and spirit of the document, and Azerbaijan should begin speaking directly with the Karabakh authorities, irrespective of the fact it likes them or not. Eduard Sharmazanov has underlined that the RA President has distinctly criticized Turkey’s one-sided criminal position and once again reaffirmed that Turkey has nothing to do in the process of the Karabakh problem settlement.

The parliament will continue the work of the four-day sittings on April 5.