FUTURE LAW ON DUAL CITIZENSHIP OF ARMENIA MUST TAKE INTO ACCOUNT ALL ISSUES TO INEVITABLY ORIGINATE WITH ITS ADOPTION

ArmInfo News Agency, Armenia
Oct 30 2006

The future law on dual citizenship of Armenia must take into account
all the issues that will inevitably originate with its adoption, said
Narine Soghomonyan, the RA Constitutional Court Staff Chief Expert,
at a seminar at the Congress Hotel, Monday. The seminar was entitled
"Migration and Dual Citizenship Problems In the Light Of Integration
Processes." The seminar was organized by the public organization
"European Organization" with support of the Friedrich Ebert Fund.

She said the most liberal legislation on dual citizenship is
in Czechia, Finland and Macedonia. As regards Armenia, it should
determine the citizenship of two or more countries can acquire the
citizens of Armenia; what rights and obligations the dual citizenship
grants etc.. Under International Conventions on Dual Citizenship,
which Armenia has not joined so far, the Armenians residing in foreign
states must have a right to Armenian citizenship, while persons of
other nationalities can be granted Armenian citizenship only for great
services to Armenia. As regards the right to vote or to be elected,
the first one is granted to all the citizens of Armenia, the second
must apply only to those having permanent residence of Armenia. The
taxes are paid in the country where the citizen of Armenia has more
property. As regards the most acute problem for Armenia, the army
service, a citizen of Armenia serves in the army in the country he
permanently resides in, the expert said.

Regarding the possibility of acquiring the citizenship of more then
two countries by Armenian citizens, Narine Soghomonyan thinks it
inadmissible as it will lead to numerous problems in Armenia. Anyway,
in November 2005, the ban on dual citizenship in the Armenian
Constitution was abolished. Now, it is legislators who are to elaborate
mechanism of acquisition of dual citizenship and settle all the other
problems, she said.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress