National Assembly rejects opposition bill
After the elimination of technical problems, the National Assembly resumed its work. The legislature immediately put to a vote the agreement “On cooperation and collaboration between the Ministries of Defense of Armenia and Italy in the framework of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon,” which was adopted with 103 votes. Then the parliament put to a vote the bill on amending the RA Law On Legal Regime of Emergency Situations in Armenia which had been submitted by the opposition Armenian National Congress (HAK). The bill excludes the interference of the army in the internal affairs of the state. Gagik Melikyan, Secretary of the ruling Republican Party of Armenia (HHK), said the bill had been discussed by his teammates and they find that it has nothing to do with the Constitution. “We are going to vote against the bill,” he said. HAK Secretary Aram Manukyan said the main accent is laid on the army’s non-interference in domestic affairs during the state of emergency. The bill was overturned by a recorded vote of 59 to 35 and 5 abstentions. The hall was half empty.
