NOT CORRECT TO LABEL THE COMMITTEE FROM THE BEGINNING
LILIT POGHOSYAN
Hayots Ashkhar Daily
June 12, 2008
Armenia
Yesterday the parliament continued to discuss the bill authored by
Victor Dallakyan to set up a Committee on the investigation of March
1-2 developments. As we have already informed you coalition fractions
also joined this discussion.
The discussion mostly focused on the "parity" approach towards the
establishment of the committee. The thing is, everyone has its own
perception of the "parity" approach. The opposition wants to be
represented in the committee by the ratio of 50-50, which means
5 members from "Heritage" fraction that consists of 7 MPs and 5
from the coalition quartet, which represents 111 mandates in the
parliament. Below we introduce certain standpoints regarding the bill.
Naira Zohrabyan
"Bargavach Hayastan"
"Many MPs expressed opinion that we have already set up lots of
committees before, which didn’t enjoy public trust. Where is the
guarantee that the newly established temporary committee will enjoy
trust among the people?
In my view the peculiarities enshrined in this bill are real guarantees
for the before mentioned, which has never been in any committee set
up by now.
For the first time extra-parliamentary forces have the possibility
to participate in the works of the committee with the right for
consultative vote. How can they speak about parity? For the first
time the fractions will enjoy equal rights in the committee. Which
means proportionality is definitely provided.
The extra-parliamentary forces will have very important rights: to
express a special opinion that will be attached to the report. At
this stage no one can say how many extra-parliamentary forces will be
represented in the committee. Maybe 30, and all of them can express
their special opinion from the tribune of the National Assembly.
The involvement of the international experts in the works of
the committee, in my view will increase the trust towards the
committee. Better if the ex-Chief of the Police participates during
the session of the committee to answer all the questions linked with
him. It is not right and not correct to question the trust resource
of the committee beforehand.
Vardan Khachatryan
"Heritage"
Of course it is necessary to set up a temporary committee, to recover
the trust of our separated society. Which means the responsibility
of this committee towards the society should be much more than that
of all the other committees.
For me personally it is not desirable to see the coming elections under
the flag of March 1 developments. And if we fail to solve the issues
faced by our country properly and impartially, the coming elections
will definitely pass under that flag and we will face moral-political
problems. Therefore we must quit majority-minority intellectual
games. By the way Jesus Christ was crucified by the majority votes and
direct voting. So our fraction will abstain from voting for this bill.
(By the way in our previous issue, by mistake we wrote that "Heritage"
voted for the regulation changes extending the activity of the
opposition. Whereas the MPs of "Heritage" fraction abstained." – L.P.)
Artashes Shahbazyan
ARFD
The bill creates certain balance, between the authorities
and the activity of the opposition. The participation of the
extra-parliamentary forces can disperse all the concerns around the
word "imitation". The presence of extra-parliamentary and parliamentary
opposition is already a guarantee to exclude that imitation.
It is far not the number of the votes that pre-determines the
objectiveness of the committee. Everyone has equal rights to
participate in the discussions, moreover the minority can express
conclusion in the form of a special opinion.
For us it is unacceptable when some people are trying to privatize
March 1 developments or to blame the authorities for what happened. It
was our shame and in my view it is not right to privatize that tragedy
with the posture of hero.
And it is absolutely not important who will participate in the works
of the committee and who will not. There will be lots of speculations
regarding this. Because they know that most probably the tension
in the society will mitigate. But it is not an easy job, it needs
a very profound activity and the establishment of this committee is
the beginning of this activity."