NKR NATIONAL ASSEMBLY MEETING

Azat Artsakh – Nagorno Karabakh Republic [NKR]
28 May 05

On May 25 the plenary meeting of the NKR National Assembly took
place. Placing changes in the legislative programme of the tenth
session of the National Assembly, the parliament confirmed the agenda
of the meeting consisting of 21 points. The first bill discussed was
the bill on amendments to the NKR Law on Land. The chairman of the
State Committee of Real Estate Cadastre Valery Alexanian mentioned that
the proposed changes will provide wider possibilities for privatization
of land by inhabitants of rural communities, including the families
of killed or disabled azatamartiks, as well as the families of
innocent victims of the war. The bill was approved by the standing
committee of production and industrial infrastructures (Chairman
Kamo Barseghian) and adopted by the parliament. The committee also
recommended the bill on amendments to the NKR law on city building,
proposed by the minister of development of industrial infrastructures
and city building, and the bill on amendments to the NKR laws on
“Commerce and Services”; “Energy Saving and Restored Energy System”,
“Nature Protection and Fees for Use of Natural Resources”, “Trade
Marks and Service Marks and Place of Production of Goods”, Postal
Service”, “Electronic Document and Electronic Digital Signature”,
“Technical Surveillance of Energy System and Energy Consumption”
proposed by the vice minister of industrial infrastructures and city
building Arnold Abrahamian. These bills did not cause controversies
and were adopted by the National Assembly. Presenting the bill on
civilian registry, the minister of justice Robert Hayrapetian said
the aim of the bill is to provide legislative ground for reforms
in the system of civilian registry. The importance of the bill was
pointed out in the review of the standing state and legal committee
(Chairman Youri Hayrapetian). The bill was enacted. The vice minister
of education, culture and sport Slava Asrian presented the amendments
to the laws on “Graduate and Post-Graduate Education” and “Education”
and commented on the essence and role of the educational reforms
emanating from the cited laws. The standing social committee (Chairman
Vasily Atajanian) recommended the bill. The parliament adopted the
amendments. The minister of social security Lenston Ghulian presented
the amendments to the laws on State Labour Agency and social security
of the families of servicemen. According to the representative of
the government, the first document provides for establishing a state
agency which will control the implementation of the Labour Code,
as well as the principles of other legislative acts and collective
agreements containing items on labour. The second bill proposes
amendments which correspond to the references made to the law on
state pensions in effect. The standing social committee approved of
both bills, and they were enacted by the National Assembly. Then the
parliament discussed the package of bills on amendments to the NKR
laws on stable payments for petrol and diesel fuel and tax on trade,
adopted at the first reading, and the law on stable payments. The bill
caused controversies in reference to the maintenance of the rate of the
stable payments in foreign currency. The members of parliament did not
accept the explanations of the vice chairman of the standing committee
of finance, budget and economic management Suren Sarghissian. Taking
into account the absence of the director of the State Tax Agency
Hakob Ghahramanian, the discussion of the package was postponed
to the next meeting of the parliament. By the request of the NKR
Central Election Committee, the parliament discussed and adopted the
expounding of the Point 1 Article 108 of the NKR Electoral Code. Then,
the members of parliament presented their statements. In particular,
Ararat Petrossian expressed concern about the imperfections observed
by him in the course of the election campaign. Edward Aghabekian
congratulated the tenth form pupils on finishing school.

AA. 28-05-2005