SITTING OF PACE MONITORING COMMISSION HELD IN YEREVAN

Public Radio, Armenia
Oct 16 2006

Sitting of PACE Monitoring Commission was held in RA National Assembly
today. Greeting the participants, NA Speaker, Head of the Armenian
delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe
Tigran Torosyan thanked members of PACE Bureau and Commission for
accepting the invitation to hold the sitting in Yerevan. Noting that
parliamentary elections are expected in seven months, Mr. Torosyan
expressed the hope that the fact of holding the Commission’s sitting in
Armenia will endorse the efforts directed at conducting the elections
in compliance with CoE standards and requirements.

Turning to the changes that took place in Armenia after Constitutional
amendments, Mr. Torosyan particularly emphasized the abolition of
administrative detainment, granting to the National Assembly the
right to elect the Ombudsman and expansion of the circle of those
who are eligible to apply the Constitutional Court.

NA Chairman expressed the regret that representatives of two member
countries – Georgia and Azerbaijan – did not participate in the
sitting. He is confident that the only chance for resolving the
problems member countries face is the joint discussion of issues,
including within the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.