On November 17 RA NA Speaker Mr. Hovik Abrahamyan was in Kotayk Marz (province) with a working visit.
From the beginning of the current year the institute of the senior schools, which were included in RA Educational system demands a new quality both from the teachers and the schoolchildren. 30 senior schools of the republic have been completely restored, 5 senior schools have been formed in Hrazdan, Yeghvard and Garni communities of Kotayk Marz. The NA Speaker’s visit arose general inspiration in Hrazdan Hovsep Orbeli senior school N 13. Seventeen students of the 11th
form were waiting for the visit of the head of the parliament, NA deputies, Governor of Kotayk Marz and other high-ranking officials. Mr. Hovik Abrahamyan attended the class of the Armenian literature, where one could feel Terian’s love and grief. The course was organized with computer new methods, and the students presented the Terian colourings by slides and collages.
Afterwards, NA Speaker Mr. Hovik Abrahamyan met with the teachers of the senior schools of Hrazdan, Yeghvard and Garni communities of Kotayk Marz, he was interested in their problems, answered the questions. During the talk, which was held in warm atmosphere they noted that though the issue of technical equipment was solved, however the school had problems of upgrading the logistics base and getting laboratory equipment. The NA Speaker reminded the teachers that the mentioned problem exists in all the marzes of the republic: “We’ll try the solve the problem in concentrated way, at least for the senior schools. I am glad and I am proud that today we have started to speak about the laboratories, in case, when in 2002 we were talking about not getting salary, repairing the roof and about not having water or gas. The progress is obvious.” He promised to convey the concern of the problem of reequipping the laboratories to the government too and practically solve the problem during the budget discussions.
The NA Speaker noted that even in the conditions of financial-economic crisis RA Government does everything for easing the concerns of the educational sphere. “The school is important for us, as the education is the support of our country, and the teachers are the layer that during the first years of the independence took part in the establishment of our country and creation of our country’s future. They were the ones, who didn’t leave the cold classes and educated our future generation. We highly assess this, as at that time the teachers were receiving salary of 5000-8000 drams or without getting salary for 6-8 months at all, continued working. Today the country is in rise: the salaries have been increased. 5 bln drams additional sum for the building of the schools will be allotted by 2010 state budget despite the crisis. You have a lot to do, as you, the teachers, are benefactors,” RA NA Speaker Mr. Hovik Abrahamyan said. He also promised to discuss the teachers’ and school principals’ concerns with the executive bodies, solving the problems in legislative way and by the government’s intervention.
In Mr. Hovik Abrahamyan’s conviction, first of all, we should raise the quality of the eeducation and in this issue the authorities have a lot to do. “For that we need time, the authorities have no “magic stick,” by 
which to solve all the problems immediately. We have 1443 schools, and today there are a few schools that need repairing so much. 5-6 years ago it would be difficult to imagine that all the schools will be repaired. There is an obvious positive move. The RA President pays great attention to the sphere of education and science, and it gives opportunity to say that during the upcoming 1-2 years all the problems of the schools will be solved.” Mr. Abrahamyan added.
The teachers were interested in the problem of purity of the mother tongue, which, according to their assessment, is the most important precondition for the establishment of the senior school. In the teachers’ opinion, the law on the Language can be short, but acting and effective, as the first condition of the senior school is the provision of the perfect knowledge of the mother tongue. In response to the teachers’ concern, the NA Speaker noted that in connection with the issue the NA Standing Committee on Science, Education, Culture, Youth and Sport would organize in future parliamentary hearings, inviting all interested sides. “We use the tribune of the National Assembly for the criticism, debates and solving problems,” the head of the parliament underlined. Mr. Hovik Abrahamyan urged the corresponding parliamentary committee chairperson to regularly invite the teachers to the National Assembly, listen to the proposals and organize parliamentary hearings.
November 17 is the International Students’ Day. During the meeting with the students, members of the RPA regional youth organization in the Kotayk Centre of Organizing the Youth Events of the RA Ministry of Culture and Youth the NA Speaker Mr. Hovik Abrahamyan congratulated them on the occasion of their holiday: “We consider you our hope, our support, you are our future, and we’ll do everything in order to involve you in all ongoing processes in the rapidly changing world. It is very important, and we are convinced that you have your work in the establishment of our state, our statehood. We expect your activeness in all political and economic processes.”
The young people were interested in the procedure of the legislative work, the activity of the parliament. “The National Assembly shall be open before the society, the contact between the political parties and society shall be free. We shall make the NA-society relations closer by visiting marzes and contacting with the people. The deputy is the person, who has the right to act in the name of the people, and he/she is obliged to raise all the questions concerning the voters. We still have many things to do.”
The NA President noted that the standards of passing the laws, the legislator had a group of experts, who analyzed the compliance of the laws with the Constitution before passing them by the parliament: “… we conduct negotiations with international organizations, we try to create an experts’ center adjunct to the National Assembly, which will analyze all the drafts before them becoming laws. We have activated the international contacts, and the delegations have been activated.”
Mr. Hovik Abrahamyan especially highlighted the control function, implemented by the National Assembly towards the state budget. In his assessment, the NA should strengthen its control towards every luma (small coin). It was said by the deputies’ proposal a law had been passed, according to which, the RA Control Chamber in revealing any violation was obliged to send the case to the Prosecutor’s Office. The NA Speaker ensured that he would do hsi best in order to strengthen the control functions of the National Assembly and activate them.
What kind of Armenia the NA Speaker wants to see? From this question it became clear that the desire of the Head of the Parliament was to have more developed and democratic country. Mr. Hovik Abrahamyan also touched upon the Armenian-Turkish relations, noting that there was no eternal friendship in the world, as there was no eternal animosity: “The eternal animosity towards Turkey can only be harmful for our people. We live in the 21st
century. The brave 
step of the President of the Republic of Armenia was very right for the economy of the country and for the general development. The President of the country has no right to rule the country with feelings, he must be realistic, rule it, emanating from the interests of the state and the people.” In his opinion, 1-2 years after opening the border the economy will quicker develop. Mr. Abrahamyan is convinced that the parliament shall ratify those protocols, as it is right for the development of our state, economy and the people.
The next stop of the delegation led by the NA Speaker Mr. Hovik Abrahamyan was the medical center of Hrazdan, where wide scale construction works were carried out. Mr. Abrahamyan got acquainted with the ongoing works in the institution. The medical institution is under repair with 867 mln drams allotted by the World Bank and means of the state budget.
The NA Speaker also attended the Kotayk regional phase of recital of the children's and youth republican competition-festival dedicated to the Armenian poetry, which began on October 7 on the initiative of RA Ministry of Culture, Metaksya Simonian and New Cultural Policy funds within the framework NA Open Doors programme in Hakob Paronian N 12 School in Hrazdan. We’ll note that the recital festival is held under the patronage of the NA Speaker. As a result of the unbiased evaluation of the jury, 8 participants were recognized winners in 11-14 and 15-17 age groups. The winners and their teachers were awarded many prizes. RA NA Speaker Mr. Hovik Abrahamyan was awarded memorial medal of the Governor of Kotayk for showing active support in the great contribution and development of regional sub-structures and in the establishment of the RA Territorial Management and local self-government system. RA NA Speaker in his word expressed his gratitude to Metaksya Simonian fund, regional councils, governors of the municipalities, and the heads of the communities
. Mr. Abrahamyan noted that an attempt was made to strengthen the National Assembly-society relation. He highlighted the conduct of the competition-festival, forming a component part of the NA Open Doors programme, the unbiased evaluation of the jury and the teachers’ work. The NA Speaker highly assessed the teacher’s role in the process of the establishment of our state, noting that the education, bringing up the future generation and are the basis of our state. He ensured that the organization of such events will be continuous.
At the end of the day the NA Speaker Mr. Hovik Abrahamyan, summing up the results of the visit, expressed conviction that the relation of the deputies and the voters should be strengthened through the visits to the marzes, contacts with the voters discussing the raised issues from the tribune of the National Assembly: “It is very important, and I shall continue that process, that is the deputy’s job to work in the NA, and during free time meet with the voters, listen to their problems.” Touching upon the children’s and youth republican competition-festival Mr. Abrahamyan said: “We try to involve the youth, to wake in them love towards Armenian literature, poetry. Such festival last time was held in 1973. In my opinion, this shall become tradition, and it will be held by the National Assembly every year.”
I’ll also inform that the gifted from Ararat, Gegharkunik, Shirak, Tavush, Vayots Dzor, Lori, Syunik marzes and Artsakh have already taken part in this unique event. In the future the regional phase of Armavir of competition-festival is expected. On November 26 the award-giving ceremony will be held.
