On November 10 the National Assembly convened the last sitting of the three-day sittings.

At the beginning of the sitting the deputies passed all the draft laws by voting debated the previous day, with the exception of the government submitted draft package of “On Legalization of the Illegally Obtained Money and Fighting Terrorism Financing” and the attached package of the drafts.

The Parliament continued the debates of 2005 Activity Programme of the Committee Regulating Public Services. The representatives of the parliamentary factions made their viewpoints on the programme.

Samvel Balasanyan, Head of the faction “Rule of Law”(Orinats Yerkir), dedicated his speech to the tariff policy, stressing that a rise in the price in power isn’t expected, of course if not gas tariffs are changed. He focused the attention to those present on the current key problems of the water system and the necessity of their elimination, touching upon the accidents registered recently and poisonings in the disaster zone.

The program presented fails to give answers to a number of questions, ARF faction secretary Hrayr Karapetyan assessed. In particular, the issue whether the Metzamor NPP, as well as hydro power plant and thermal power plant electricity tariffs will be revised in 2005 isn’t clarified. Closing the meeting Robert Nazaryan, head of committee regulating public services, assured no rise in tariffs is expected for the final consumer next year.

Speaking on behalf of the NA RPA faction Hermine Naghdalyan commended the work accomplished by the committee stressing the regulatory role of the structure in conditions of free economy.

RA NA Speaker Artur Baghdasaryan drew MP’s attention to three issues in a special speech. Tariffs should be predictable and don’t create social tension, he is of the opinion. The committee is also responsible for ensuring publicity of its activity: as such progress has been registered, however the consumer should be ensured the highest degree of protection and provided with the necessary information, the Speaker said. The principle of the Committee responsibility is important: the Committee should give an expert assessment to all proposals, Mr. Baghdasaryan believes. The Speaker called to step up efforts directed to seeking alternative energy sources in order to shut down the nuclear power plant. Mr. Baghdasaryan credited the Committee’s initiative to clarify the methods of calculating tariffs.

NA Standing Committee on Financial-Credit, Budgetary and Economic Affairs endorsed the programme. The programme won’t be put to vote in consistence with the NA Rules of Procedure.

NA Vice Speaker Vahan Hovhannisyan’s legislative initiative “On Making an Addition and an Amendment to the RA Law ‘On Alternative Service’” was submitted to the Parliament to be discussed on second reading. The governmental recommendation on amending the water code was also submitted to be discussed on second reading.

As many as 89 recommendations were submitted following the first reading of the drafts “RA Criminal-Executive Code,” “On Amending the RA Criminal Justice Process Code” of which 65 recommendations were submitted by MPs. Revised drafts comply with the contemporary requirements and demands, Rafik Petrosyan, Chairman of the NA Standing Committee on State and Legal Affairs, assessed.

Proposing amendments and additions to the RA laws “On RA Administrative Division” and “On Local Self-Governance” the government seeks to solve community border disputes.

MPs considered documents on the activity of two Ad-Hoc Committees.

Tigran Torosyan, Chairman of the NA Ad-hoc Committee on Matters of Integration in European Structures, proposed to extend the term of Committee activity by April 1, 2007.

Meanwhile, Vahan Hovhannisyan, Chairman of the NA Ad-hoc Committee on Determining the Effectiveness of the Use of Loans, Credits, Grants and Humanitarian Aid Received from Foreign Governments and International Organizations, presented Committee’s interim report. In substance the report is the continuation to the report published in spring, which dwelt on the examination of Community Development Credit Programme funded by the World Bank. Despite the investments made the Committee revealed a considerable rise (2.5 times) in breakdowns in the water-supply system, some 5,158 incidents were registered over the past year. Those responsible for the administration of the Community Development Programme submitted clarifications on the deficiencies detected to the NA Ad-Hoc Committee. Only arguments concerning water gauges presented by the “Yerevan Water Pipeline” CJSC, NA Vice Speaker assessed. The instances concerned submitted clarifications on the relevant matters only a month ago, as such the independent audit report conducted by the KPMG, he also said. As a result Committee’s interim report was also postponed. The state assisted YWP CJSC providing it with m in 1996-2003, Mr. Hovhannisyan stated. The organization paid back only 4bn ADM. State assistance only for redeeming the debt for electric power amounted to 14.7 bn ADM by the end of 2003. The report also points to a number of deficiencies in the flow of documents on financial deals, revaluation of capital assets of the YWP CJSC. Andranik Andreasyan, head of the State Committee of Water Resources adjunct to the RA Government, was offered an opportunity to respond to the issues brought up in the report. No conclusion or recommendation has been made as a result of the Committee examination. It will be drafted over a period of two days following the discussion and familiarizing with the opinion of the governmental representative.

The debates on the issue will continue during the coming three-day sittings. The issues discussed at the sitting will be put to voting.

The regular NA sitting closed. The final half an hour was allocated to MP-government question-and-answer session.