ARMENIAN OPPOSITION TO APPEAL TO CONSTITUTIONAL COURT AGAINST LAW ON ALIENATION OF PRIVATIZED LANDS FOR STATE AND PUBLIC NEEDS

ArmInfo News Agency, Armenia
Nov 28 2006

The Armenian opposition intends to appeal to the Constitutional
Court against the law on the order of alienation of privatized lands
for state and public needs. The law was approved by the Armenian
Parliament, Monday, said Vardan Lazarian, "Justice" faction
representative, at "Urbat" Club, Tuesday.

V. Mrktchyan mentioned that before the constitutional reform, the
reform supporters motivated their position by the fact the reform
will even more toughen the land alienation process. "Nevertheless,
it turns out that everything is done quite on the opposite," he said.

In his turn, Rafik Petrosyan, Head of Parliamentary Commission
for State and Legal Affairs, expressed hope that the law will be
considered by the Constitutional Court. He is dissatisfied with two
provisions of the law: lack of an exact definition of the "prior
importance" of the alienation of a territory for public and state;
acquisition of a territory by an organization. However, R. Petrosyan
does not intend to join the opposition appeal as he voted for the
adoption of the law. He explained that he prefers a poor law to the
lack of a law as this leads to worse consequences like it happened
to the evicted residents of Buzand street. R. Petrosyan promised to
follow the fulfillment of the law. He did not rule out preparation
of amendments to the law in future.

As regards the residents of the central streets of Yerevan, including
Buzand street, who were evicted from their homes due to the desire of
the authorities "to beautify the appearance of the city by all means
possible," V. Lazarian said that any law aiming improvement of the
citizens’ life must have a retroaction and apply to these people. R.

Petrosyan agreed with this opinion and proposed the dissatisfied
residents of Yerevan center apply to the court.

To note, before the adoption of the given law, the authorities were
guided by the land and administrative codes of Armenia in the issues
of land alienation. However, some provisions of these codes have been
recently recognized contradictory to the Constitution of Armenia.

Thus, the contracts with the above residents and the forced eviction of
some of these people was on the basis of the anti-Constitutional laws.