Committee endorses draft laws debated in second reading

On September 26, the RA NA Standing Committee on Defense and Security debated a number of draft laws in the second reading at the sitting.

The RA Deputy Minister of Defense Arman Sargsyan presented to the Committee for debate the legislative package providing for amendments to the RA Criminal Code and addenda and amendments to the Law on Military Police, which proposes to clarify the forms of liability for evading military exercises. The rapporteur informed that there were no proposals between the first and the second readings. Editorial corrections were made.

The RA Deputy Minister of Justice Tigran Dadunts presented to the Committee for debate the proposed addendum to the Law on State Border. The Government proposes to clarify the status of the RA Border Electronic Management Information System (BEMIS) and create and opportunity to provide for more systematic regulations. The Deputy Minister informed that there were no proposals regarding the draft law.

The RA Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs Armen Mkrtchyan presented the Police Code of Integrity and Discipline and the related laws. The Government proposes to establish a good integrity system for police officers and rescue workers, create separate ethics committees for each service, and define the specifics of the investigation of violations of good integrity of the relevant employees. The rapporteur informed that the Government submitted proposals about the draft law, due to which the drafts were amended. Armen Mkrtchyan informed that the proposals are conditionally divided into three groups. The proposals of the first group are aimed at increasing the effectiveness of countering corruption, the second group is aimed at clarifying the implementation of a number of key functions of the police, and the proposals of the third group are about improving the management process of human resources in the police and rescue service. The rapporteur also noted that regulations were provided in the transitional provisions, according to which, before the package enters into force, service examinations will continue under the regulations in affect at the time of appointment: after the package enters into force, they will be implemented with the new regulations.

The co-rapporteur, the Deputy Chair of the Committee Armen Khachatryan proposed to accept the submitted proposals and vote in favour of the legislative package. The purpose of the legislative package, authored by the NA deputies Sergey Bagratyan, Alen Simonyan, Hasmik Hakobyan, Arusyak Julhakyan, providing for an addendum to the Law on Ensuring Road Traffic Safety and an amendment to the RA Code on Administrative Offenses, is to prohibit the installation of additional amplifiers and loudspeakers in vehicles.

The Government submitted a proposal regarding the draft laws, according to which, a fine of ten times the established minimum salary will be imposed for installing non-standard light or sound signal devices, mufflers, or additional amplifiers or speakers for players on vehicles, or for using them while driving, as well as confiscation of the installed devices.

The co-rapporteur, the Deputy Chair of the Committee Armen Khachatryan proposed to vote in favour of the adoption of the draft law, adding that it is a fairly common offense in Armenia, directed against public order. The Chair of the Committee Andranik Kocharyan also highlighted the adoption of the draft law.

The Committee endorsed the debated draft laws. It was proposed to include them in the draft agenda of the NA upcoming sittings.

The initiatives were debated at the sitting of the Committee on September 26.