NO ANTHEM YET

A1+
[06:33 pm] 20 December, 2006

A number of usually absent deputies returned to the Parliament today
in order to secure quorum of the special session. Alongside with
several other issues, the Parliament discussed that of the national
anthem of the Republic of Armenia.

Minister of Culture Hasmik Poghosyan informed that after the first
reading the Government has received 35 offers 29 of which have
been accepted. But naturally, the Government has not renounced the
transitional provision according to which "Our Homeland" will remain
the national anthem until a new one has been decided upon. In this
connected Viktor Dallakyan reminded that the authorities who are used
to violating the Constitution violated it again, and since December
6 our country does not have an anthem.

Referring to the transitional provision, he noted that it means lack
of respect for the present anthem. "It is the transitional provision
of the transitional Government", Dallakyan said.

Representative of ARF Dashnaktsutyun Gegham Manoukyan said that because
of the idleness of the Government "Our Homeland" will not be performed
in the Republic Square in the New Year night.

Hmayak Hovhannisyan was the only deputy who spoke against "Our
Homeland" noting that "dignified death" (from the text of the song) is
in the past, and "the generation of Shahen Meghryan, Monte Melqonyan,
Leonid Azgaldyan, Samvel Babayan and Zhirayr Sefilyan has won the right
of dignified life". "And Khachatryan’s music is triumphant", he added.

Tomorrow morning the fate of the draft on the national anthem will
be clear. "We cannot conclude this special session without solving
this problem", announced NA Speaker Tigran Torosyan.