National Assembly gives preference to OEK-proposed bill (video)
During today’s parliament sitting Heritage Party MP Tevan Poghosyan spoke about the dramatic situation in the Armenian populated villages of Kessab, the continuing attacks and ensuing evacuation of Armenian population. “We are losing one of the greatest Armenian communities in the Middle East. I wonder what actions are being planned to help our compatriots of Kessab who are in a deplorable condition,” said the opposition lawmaker. Speaker of the National Assembly Hovik Abrahamyan said in response they are all concerned about the fate of Kessab Armenians but cannot interfere in the affairs of another state. “I think we had better propose the relevant Ministry to convene hearings on the issue and answer our questions.” Speaking about the agenda, Naira Zohrabyan, Secretary of the Prosperous Armenia Party (BHK) urged her fellow colleagues to vote for the BHK-proposed amendments to the RA Law on Benefits which, she said, will first of all benefit unemployed mothers. In reply to Ms Zohrabyan’s proposal, Republican MP Hakob Hakobyan, Chairman of the NA Standing Committee on Social Affairs, said a similar bill had been proposed by the Country of Law Party (OEK) and they need to decide on the selection criteria. (OEK MP Hovhannes Margaryan said that priority should undoubtedly be given to student mothers. In the result of the vote, BHK’s proposal was not included in the draft agenda. Artsvik Minasyan, an MP of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation – Dashnaktsutyun, said the two draft bills did not conflict with each other and should have been included in the agenda as an alternative to one another.
