VENICE COMMISSION REVISES PREVIOUS CONCLUSION ON ARMENIAN LAW ON
PUBLIC GATHERINGS

ArmenPress
Oct 12 2004

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 12, ARMENPRESS: Deputy parliament chairman Tigran
Torosian said today the Council of Europe’s Venice Commission has
revised its previous conclusion on an Armenian law on demonstrations
and other public gatherings after studying explanations sent by the
parliament. Torosian said a wording in the previous conclusion that
the law must be drastically revised was also changed.

Torosian spoke in Yerevan today back from Venice where he took part
in the Commission’s session on October 8-9. He said the Commission
insisted that some changes be made in the law, and set the 2005 March
as the deadline for passing the draft law. A similar demand was also
included in a recent PACE Resolution on Armenia.

Torosian said the second Armenia-related issue on the Commission’s
agenda was referring to Armenia’s constitutional reforms. He said
Commission’s experts are studying two bills, submitted by the ruling
majority and the opposition, another bill on constitutional reforms,
designed by Armenian Labor Party, will be sent to Venice this week.
Torosian said the Commission will unveil its preliminary conclusion
in mid-November and the final one on December 4-5.

He said he was given a draft resolution on Armenia’s election law,
prepared by the Venice Commission and OSCE, which he said will serve
as a basis for preparing the bill for the second reading.