Republican Party of Armenia

 By the decision of the RA NA Speaker Galust Sahakyan and at the initiative of the Government on March 3, under Article 70 of the RA Constitution, an NA extraordinary sitting was convened.

At the beginning of the sitting the NA Speaker Galust Sahakyan has informed that the deputy of the PAP Faction Melik Manukyan has taken back his application on refusing the mandate.

By the decision of the National Assembly three sittings will be convened with one and a half hour duration, the first interval will be one hour, and the second interval - half an hour.

Then the parliament by voting passed the draft law “On Amending the RA Law on Profit Tax.”

The parliament continued debating the legislative package on turnover tax.

The National Assembly continued debating the package of draft laws “On Amending the RA Law on Turnover Tax,” “On Amending the RA Law on Taxes,” “On Amending the RA Law on Organisation and Conducting of Check-ups in the Republic of Armenia.”

The deputies Hrant Bagratyan, Edmon Marukyan, Hovhannes Margaryan, Vahram Mkrtchyan, Levon Dokholyan, Ishkhan Khachatryan, Tevan Poghosyan continued presenting their viewpoints on the issue.

The Head of the faction Rubik Hakobyan submitted the view of the Heritage Faction and also touched upon the political importance of the document.

Artsvik Minasyan presented the viewpoint of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation Faction and noted that the ARF will vote abstained.

The Head of the ANC Faction Levon Zurabyan has noticed that the amendments are admissible in principle but the problem is not completely solved.

Stepan Margaryan presented the view of the PAP Faction and announced that the faction will express his position before voting.

The Head of the RPA Faction Vahram Baghdasaryan presented the view of the faction and noted that they would vote for the legislative package.

Summing up the debate the Chairman of the NA Standing Committee on Social Affairs Vardan Ayvazyan and the RA Minister of Economy Karen Chshmaritian touched upon the deputies’ interpellations and gave clarifications.

The deputies also debated the package of draft laws “On Amending the RA Law on the Payment, Service and Security Provision of the President of the Republic of Armenia” and “On Amending the RA Law on the State Officials' Social Guarantees,” which was submitted by the RA Minister of Labor and Social Affairs Artem Asatryan.

The Chairman of the NA Standing Committee on Social Affairs Hakob Hakobyan endorsed the package. The key and en suite speakers answered the deputies’ questions.

The NA deputies Khosrov Harutyunyan, Artashes Geghamyan, Samvel Farmanyan, Zaruhi Postanjyan, Artsvik Minasyan expressed their views on the issue under debate.

During the sitting the RA NA Deputy Speaker Eduard Sharmazanov thanked the European People’s Party (EPP) for adopting a resolution dedicated to the Centennial of the Armenian Genocide that day. The NA Deputy Speaker has noted that it is a very important and unprecedented historical document. Mr Sharmazanov highlighted the joint work of the Republican Armenia, Heritage and Rule of Law parties in the adoption of the document.

The RA NA Speaker Galust Sahakyan delivered an extraordinary speech. Touching upon his colleagues’ speeches on the issue, the NA Speaker has noted that they have often been personalized, there have been recommendations, on the basis of which one can make certain amendments. The NA Speaker has not considered right the presentation of personal ambitions and own philosophy to the public in the parliament. According to the NA Speaker, the legislative package refers not to a person, but to the President’s institute. To his conviction, the problem should be observed in the context of respecting the state institutes. The NA Speaker deemed necessary the adoption of the legislative package.

In their final speeches Hakob Hakobyan and Artem Asatryan referred to the deputies’ recommendations and concerns.

The parliament began debating the legislative package on protection of the personal data.

Then the parliament in the first reading began debating the package of draft laws “On Amending the RA Law on Protection of Personal Data” and envisaging amendments to a number of relating laws, which submitted the First Deputy of the RA Justice Minister Arsen Mkrtchyan.

The member of the NA Standing Committee on State and Legal Affairs Arpine Hovhannisyan in her speech has noted that the Committee has endorsed the legislative package.

The debate of the issue will resume at March 4 extraordinary sitting of the National Assembly.