ARMENIAN GOVERNMENT CAPABLE OF SOLVING SYSTEM PROBLEMS: CE
ARKA
May 20, 2008
YEREVAN, May 20. /ARKA/. Armenian government is ready to solve problems
in the country’s system and fill in the existing gaps, Deputy Secretary
General of the Council of Europe Maud de Boer-Buquicchio said during
her meeting with RA Prime Minister Tigran Sargsian.
The Deputy Secretary General also met high-ranking Armenian officials
on Monday in Yerevan to discuss the implementation of PACE Resolution
1609, as well as recommendations of the CE Commissioner of Human
Rights and Ago Group’s report on Armenia. She pointed out that the June
session of PACE is not far off. De Boer-Buquicchio called in Armenian
authorities to use effectively the short period before the session.
Adopted this April, PACE Resolution 1609 on democratic institutions
in Armenia urges the country’s authorities to strengthen democratic
institutes by the summer session of the RA Parliament. Otherwise,
Armenia will be deprived of its right to vote in the Assembly.
The authors of the resolution, John Prescott and Georges Colombier,
call on Armenia’s authorities to step up their efforts to implement
political reforms, taking the opposition’s opinion into account. They
also urge Armenia to reform the electoral system and ensure
independence of mass media, as well as to guarantee the freedom of
assembly both by law and in practice.
De Boer-Buquicchio said opposition should also be constructive without
making harsh demands.
According to her, the Council of Europe is ready to help Armenian
authorities to combat corruption, reforms the country’s legislation
and other fields to achieve good results by June.
In his turn, the Prime Minister assured the Deputy Secretary General
the Armenian Government is as good as its word. He said Armenia
intends to solve all the problems as soon as possible. However, the
Prime Minister was sceptical about significant changes in society
within a month.
He stressed the importance of building up public confidence in
democratic principles and norms.
He said the Armenian Government has the willpower to achieve all these
goals and intends to carry out reforms to develop cooperation between
the strong government and strong opposition, responsible media and
responsible government.
The country also plans to curb price rise, according to Sargsian.
He assured the European official that the RA Government’s Poverty
Reduction Strategy will become more effective if the country is able
to settle the existing social issues and reduce political tension. -0–