TACTICS OF PARLIAMENTARY MINORITY PROVE UNSUCCESSFUL
Noayn Tapan
Oct 22, 2007
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 22, NOYAN TAPAN. Despite all efforts of the
parliamentary opposition, the RA National Assembly passed the law on
operative investigative activity in third reading – just 5 minutes
before the end of the October 22 sitting. It is noteworthy that during
the sitting, the opposition factions "Heritage" and "Orinats Yerkir"
took 20-minute brakes 8 times. As a result, the parliament approved
the agenda of the four-day session at 5:00 pm, 5 hours after the
start of the sitting.
Explaining their tactics at the request of NT correspondent, member of
the "Heritage" faction Larisa Alaverdian said that the oppostition is
trying to urge the majority to familiarize themselves with the bill
and not to adopt it. "We think that the majority should be given time
to become sober because, perhaps, few realize what kind of law it
is. This is legalization of the worst manifestations of 1937," the
deputy noted. L. Alaverdian considered as unacceptable the approach
that a case can be initiated against people based on verbal evidence,
let alone a record made by phone tapping.
In her words, the law not only regards as permissible the worst sins –
treachery but also encourages it.
Members of the "Heritage" faction exercised their right to make a
speech several times. During one of the votes, L. Alaverdian and member
of the same factiob Zaruhi Postanjian spoke about several deputies
who voted instead of others, as a result of which the chairman of
the sitting had to hold a re-vote.
Commenting on this, the NA speaker Tigran Torosian expressed regret
that "the possibility of lack of good sense" was not taken into
consideration in developing the rules of procedure of the NA. In his
words, some people come to the parliament "to play childish games
instead of doing legislative work". At the same time, he noted that
the fact of voting instead of another person should be taken into
account only in case when it affects the vote results.