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ARF BLOC WILL NOT TAKE PART IN PARLIAMENTARY SESSION
Asbarez
Tuesday, December 14th, 2010
YEREVAN
The parliamentary bloc of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation
announced Tuesday that it will not take part in the year-end
extraordinary legislative session, during which government initiatives
will be presented, saying the government was using the session in an
attempt to rush through important legislation.
"It is not the first instance that at the close of the year, the
government schedules an extraordinary session with a hefty agenda,"
said ARF bloc president Vahan Hovannesian. "In other words, what
they should have done during the year, they are trying to put on a
fast track."
Hovannesian said that was unacceptable for the party, despite the
possibility of there being bills, which the ARF might support,
pending a substantive discussion and debate in parliament.
Hovannesian explained the bloc's decision by outlining that the
short period of time, during which the bills are to be passed, does
not allow members of parliament to properly acquaint themselves with
the bill, make recommendations and allow the government to process
those suggestions.
He said, it is evident that the government will not accept any changes
and as a result the bloc has opted out of the session and is urging
other parliamentary factions to do the same. Among the 141 bills
being proposed by the government are amendments to laws regulating
construction, mining and the state pension system, as well as an
effort to push through amendments allowing the existence of private
foreign-language schools in the country-a highly controversial issue
with significant opposition.
Representatives of the Heritage Party, the other opposition party
represented in the parliament, also denounced the government but
decided not to boycott the session. "We are not sure that our boycott
would influence the hearts and minds of the parliament majority
and that they would understand that the process is not legitimate,"
Heritage's Stepan Safarian told RFE/RL's Armenian service.
The ARF's concerns were also shared by some deputies from the
pro-government Prosperous Armenia Party. "I don't welcome discussion
of very important and decisive laws in this fashion," one of them,
Vartan Bostanjian, told RFE/RL.
From: A. Papazian
Asbarez
Tuesday, December 14th, 2010
YEREVAN
The parliamentary bloc of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation
announced Tuesday that it will not take part in the year-end
extraordinary legislative session, during which government initiatives
will be presented, saying the government was using the session in an
attempt to rush through important legislation.
"It is not the first instance that at the close of the year, the
government schedules an extraordinary session with a hefty agenda,"
said ARF bloc president Vahan Hovannesian. "In other words, what
they should have done during the year, they are trying to put on a
fast track."
Hovannesian said that was unacceptable for the party, despite the
possibility of there being bills, which the ARF might support,
pending a substantive discussion and debate in parliament.
Hovannesian explained the bloc's decision by outlining that the
short period of time, during which the bills are to be passed, does
not allow members of parliament to properly acquaint themselves with
the bill, make recommendations and allow the government to process
those suggestions.
He said, it is evident that the government will not accept any changes
and as a result the bloc has opted out of the session and is urging
other parliamentary factions to do the same. Among the 141 bills
being proposed by the government are amendments to laws regulating
construction, mining and the state pension system, as well as an
effort to push through amendments allowing the existence of private
foreign-language schools in the country-a highly controversial issue
with significant opposition.
Representatives of the Heritage Party, the other opposition party
represented in the parliament, also denounced the government but
decided not to boycott the session. "We are not sure that our boycott
would influence the hearts and minds of the parliament majority
and that they would understand that the process is not legitimate,"
Heritage's Stepan Safarian told RFE/RL's Armenian service.
The ARF's concerns were also shared by some deputies from the
pro-government Prosperous Armenia Party. "I don't welcome discussion
of very important and decisive laws in this fashion," one of them,
Vartan Bostanjian, told RFE/RL.
From: A. Papazian