Speaker of Parliament Invites Head of CoE Yerevan Office to Attend Parliamentary Hearings on Transitional Justice

• 05.14.2019, 16:53
•  Europe,  World,  Armenia

On May 14, the President of the RA National Assembly Ararat Mirzoyan received Natalia Voutova, the Head of the Council of Europe (CoE) Office in Yerevan.

The Head of the parliament has noted that Armenia highlights the cooperation with the Council of Europe, underlining that the cooperation with the CoE Office in Yerevan is laid on good bases. Ararat Mirzoyan highly assessed the CoE support in the ongoing democratic reforms in our country: according to him, the dynamics of bilateral agenda is also satisfactory.

“The positive assessments of the CoE on the velvet revolution are very important for us. We are glad to hear statements on the fact that the Council of Europe is ready to pass this path of reforms with the Armenian people,” the NA President noted.

The interlocutors discussed the perspectives of the cooperation development between Armenia and the Council of Europe, touched upon the events being implemented within the framework of 2019-2022 Armenia-CoE Partnership Action Plan. The Head of the legislative body assured that all necessary steps would be taken in the complete implementation of the Action Plan.

Ararat Mirzoyan invited Natalia Voutova to take part in the parliamentary hearings titled Perspectives of Use of Transitional Justice Tools in Armenia. 

The Head of the Council of Europe Office in Yerevan underlined the effective cooperation of Armenia with the CoE, noting that the Council of Europe would continue supporting the steps taken for the reforms being implemented in our country and strengthening democracy. The guest touched upon the necessity of the amendments to the Criminal and Criminal Procedure, Administrative Offences Codes and to a number of other laws and stressed the key role of the parliament in the process of other reforms. In this context she emphasized the ratification of Istanbul and Lanzarote Conventions by Armenia. Besides, Natalia Voutova conveyed to the President of the National Assembly the CoE commitment – to show the experts' support in the steps taken for the implementation of the transitional justice.

The sides have also agreed that the events aimed at the rise of public awareness are of key importance in the successful implementation of the reforms being planned and under process for the improvement of legislation of different spheres.