ARMENIAN MPs ADOPTED THE LAW ON NATIONAL ANTHEM IN THE FIRST READING
ArmInfo News Agency, Armenia
Nov 29 2006
Armenian MPs adopted the law on national anthem in the first reading
today. Hasmik Poghosyan, Minister of Culture and Youth Affairs, said
that the draft law has gone a long way of discussions. Transitional
processes in the Constitution made it necessary to workout the draft
law. According to them, the new national anthem should be ratified
by a separate law till 6 December 2006.
First of all, the document presents the term ‘national anthem’,
the order and occasions when it should be plaid. It is said that
symphonic, chamber, military and other orchestra can perform the
anthem. It can be plaid for visits of high delegates, sport, culture
and festivities. The Public TV and Radio of Armenia is obliged to start
and finish their broadcasting playing the national anthem. It should
be plaid every Monday and before every lesson in secondary schools,
everyone must stand up, all males take off their hats.
A. Poghosyan said the state committee did not decide upon the
draft anthem yet and so, it was proposed to prolong performance
of the current national anthem ‘My Motherland’ for a year. This
raised indignation of many MPs, especially of those from the ARF
‘Dashnaktsutyun’ that didn’t take part in the voting. Members of
‘Dashnaktsutyun’ party presented their version of the draft for the
music and lyrics of the new national anthem. Many MPs, including
opposition ones, disagreed with the presented document. After the
long debates it was finally agreed to prolong terms for the current
anthem and to take off the deadline on ratification of the new
national anthem.