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  • Armenia needs clear reforms roadmap in order to consolidate democrac

    States News Service
    May 14, 2010 Friday


    ARMENIA NEEDS A CLEAR ROADMAP OF REFORMS IN ORDER TO CONSOLIDATE DEMOCRACY

    STRASBOURG, France


    The following information was released by the Parliamentary Assembly
    of the Council of Europe (PACE):

    The President of PACE Mevlut Cavusoglu has called on the authorities
    of Armenia to draw on the recommendations of its ad hoc parliamentary
    committee and of PACE in relation to the 1-2 March 2008 events and to
    adopt and implement in due time a roadmap of reforms. Such clear
    determination is needed in order to restore public confidence, move
    towards reconciliation and consolidate the democratic process in the
    country.

    At the end of his visit to the country, the PACE President encouraged
    the National Assembly to play to the full its role of parliamentary
    control, in particular when discussing the reports that will be
    submitted by its Committee on State and Legal Affairs, which is
    responsible for the monitoring of the implementation of the reforms
    needed in relation to the March 2008 events. The President praised the
    excellent co-operation that has been existing with the Armenian
    delegation to PACE in that respect.

    Amongst the most important reforms needed, the President stressed: the
    adoption of a new electoral code, up to the highest European
    standards, well ahead of the 2012 parliamentary elections; the reform
    of the police, including better education and a change in the
    mentality; the reforms needed to ensure the independence in the
    justice sector; the unrestricted implementation of the law on freedom
    of assembly; and the independence and pluralism of the media, in
    particular with regard to the tender on broadcasting licences that
    would be organised in July 2010.

    At the same time, the President considered it "unacceptable" that
    nobody has been held responsible in relation to the 10 deaths that
    occurred during the March 2008 events. He also stressed that the issue
    of persons detained in relation to the events of March 2008 is not
    fully resolved either.

    With regard to the Nagorno Karabakh issue, the President stressed that
    both Armenia and Azerbaijan have to abide by Parliamentary Assembly
    resolutions, in particular Resolution 1416 of 2005. The Assembly, for
    its part, has the duty to monitor how its recommendations are
    implemented by member states. He said he would continue consultations
    with the chairmen of the Armenian and Azeri delegations to PACE,
    separately and jointly, including also a representative of the
    opposition on each side, until a solution and a format are found which
    are satisfactory for both sides.

    During his visit, the President met with the President of the
    Republic, the Speaker of Parliament, most political forces represented
    in Parliament, the PACE delegation, the Human Rights Defender, the
    National Commission for Radio and Television, NGOs, the
    extra-parliamentary opposition and families of victims of the events
    of 1-2 March 2008.
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