THE PARLIAMENT: LOYAL ATTACHE TO THE GOVERNMENT?

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[02:46 pm] 27 November, 2008

Although all NA deputies were against the government’s bill to raise
salaries of RA Prosecutor General and the 216 judges and leave the
salaries of the executive and legislative bodies the same, today
many deputies pressed the buttons and "conscientiously" voted for
the disputed bill after the first reading.

With 64 for, 2 against and 12 neutral, the government managed to
pass the bill after the first reading. Before the vote, head of the
"Heritage" faction Armen Martirosyan announced that they were not
going to participate in the vote, while member of Rule of Law Hovhannes
Margaryan, who criticized the government yesterday and even proposed
to name the government "modest", announced today that the party is
going to vote for the bill because the government orally approved
one of its oral proposals.

Before the vote, NA Chairman Hovik Abrahamyan informed that the
government and the parliament have come to the agreement to pass the
bill, but without any sign and conceptual changes; however, in March
or April, the government will present to the parliament the plan that
will fix the salaries for civil servants and high-ranking officials.

Today, the parliament also voted on the issues discussed during the
last extraordinary session. The RA law on "Defense" was passed with
88 for, nobody against or neutral.