STRENGTHENING OF PARLIAMENT-SOCIETY LINK HIGHLIGHTED

National Assembly of RA, Armenia
March 30 2006

On March 28, a meeting of volunteers of citizens’ information and
communication centers was organized in the National Assembly, in
which NA employees, representatives of USAID/Armenia: Legislative
Strengthening Program, 20 communities of the republic, public
organizations attended.

In his opening speech Hovhannes Zargaryan, Deputy Chief of NA Staff,
informed that by NA President Artur Baghdasaryan’s order a task was
given to strengthen the parliament-society link, which will promote
the further development of democracy and freedom of speech. Hovhannes
Zargaryan proposed those present to promote the solution of the
community problems by ongoing meeting in non-formal conditions. Mr.
Zargaryan informed that studies have been carried out in the
communities of the republic on the establishment of the information
centers. He is convinced that National Assembly and USAID/Armenia:
Legislative Strengthening Program promoted the qualification of NA
Staff employees and rise of work efficiency.

Jill Pender, Director of USAID/Armenia: Legislative Strengthening
Program noted that the goal of the meeting is to promote the
strengthening of parliament-society link. As Mrs. Pender characterized,
USAID/Armenia Legislative Strengthening Program is a special model
of parliament and citizens cooperation.

Hovik Ohanyan, Head of Local Governance Issues Division of Regional
Policy and Analysis Department of the National Assembly and Edward
Safaryan, USAID/Armenia; Legislative Strengthening Program specialist
on Community Policy highlighted the establishment of information
and communication centers, making participant the community in the
legislative works, the establishment of the working relations between
the communities and the National Assembly.

Gohar Poghosyan, Deputy Head of NA Public Relations Department,
Tatul Soghomonyan, Head of Secretariat, Ashot Khachatryan, Head of
Legislative Analysis and Development Department, Lusine Hovhannisyan,
Head of the Division of Information Supply of the Computer Network,
Marusya Asatryan, Head of Information Department, Fatma Khachatryan,
Head of Library Division, Hakob Harutyunyan, Head of Citizen and Letter
Reception Division, Tigran Ghazaryan, Head of Social Policy Research
Department presented the main functions of their subdivisions, the
procedure of organization of parliament works, saying that the freedom
of information is carried out through information accessibility,
which is also an impetus for strengthening parliament-society link.

Concluding the results of the meeting Hovhannes Zargaryan,
Deputy Chief of NA Staff, highlighted the further cooperation, the
implementation of practical steps directed at the establishment of
the communication centers, ensuring that the National Assembly and
USAID/Armenia: Legislative Strengthening Program are ready to promote
their implementation.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress