ARMENIAN PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE CHAIR RESPONDS TO PACE CO-RAPPORTEURS’ STATEMENT

Tert.am
21:55 ~U 03.02.10

"The Council of Europe expects from Armenia not just words, but
concrete results," RA National Assembly’s Standing Committee on State
and Legal Affairs Chair Davit Harutyunyan told Tert.am, while speaking
about the recent statement by Parliamentary Assembly of the Council
of Europe (PACE) co-rapporteurs Georges Colombier’s and John Prescott
on the report released by the interim committee investigating the
events of March 1, 2008.

The statement, released yesterday, said that the deadline for sending
a timetable of implementing the Monitoring Committee’s suggestions
is set for March 17.

"It is quite natural for the PACE rapporteurs to make such a
statement. What interests them most is how the monitoring will be
conducted and to what extent the internal mechanisms of the state
are efficient for monitoring," Harutyunyan said.

Standing Committee on State and Legal Affairs is conducting the
monitoring.

The statement mentions exact legislative reforms in such sectors
as elections, justice, and law enforcement. The co-rapporteurs are
asking the Armenian government for a fixed timetable for implementing
these reforms.

Harutyunyan said they would manage to implement those reforms and
will present the timetable to PACE. Particularly, the preparation of
the reforms package in the Election Code will take 2 moths, no more
than 2 months will be required for reforms package in law enforcement,
while to create an independent body 8-12 months will be necessary.

"I myself am ready to do my best ahead of the PACE’s spring session,
but it is the country that must be ready. The decision is made jointly
by political powers. The statement was made only yesterday, and the
coalition powers have still to make a decision over what they will
do further," said Harutyunyan.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress