PACE to make every effort to ensure stability in Armenia
05.04.2008,
01:13
The Chairman of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) Lluis Maria de Puig made a statement in Sankt-Petersburg expressing his interest in deepening democratic values in Armenia and assuring that the PACE will make every effort to ensu
YEREVAN, April 4. /ARKA/. The Chairman of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) Lluis Maria de Puig made a statement in Sankt-Petersburg expressing his interest in deepening democratic values in Armenia and assuring that the PACE will make every effort to ensure stability and continue democratic processes in the country.
The CE is confident that Armenia will maintain committed to CE values, de Puig said at his meeting with the Speaker of Armenian Parliament Tigran Torosian who is participating in the 30th plenary session of CIS Interparliamentary Assembly in Sankt-Petersburg.
De Puig also expressed concern about the events happened in Armenia. Although the reasons for imposing an emergency rule could be understood, anyway the state of emergency set serious restrictions in terms of democracy. He voiced his support to the report of the PACE observer mission in the presidential elections in Armenia; according to the report the elections of February 19 were held mainly in compliance with international standards.
De Puig said he intends to visit the South Caucasus region soon.
The Speaker of the Armenian Parliament Tigran Torosian, in his part, appreciated the balance stand of the PACE on the events in Armenia and stressed the importance of the role and the mission of the Council of Europe in solving the existing problems.
He attached importance to having a clear picture of the situation during the upcoming discussion on activities of democratic institutions in Armenia. Torosian also appreciated the election monitoring and post-election fact-finding mission headed by the PACE reporter John Prescott. In the reports of these missions elections and post-elections processes have been clearly differentiated which is very important for having a clear view of the situation.
Torosian reported serious recommendations made on establishing stability and on democratic processes in the country and considered it useful to reflect them in the PACE resolution.
In speaking about the amendments to the law on assemblies, rallies and demonstrations Torosian said that they were passed at a special parliament session and have been immediately sent to CE Venice Commission for examination.
“We have already received the opinion of the experts and agreed with the Venice Commission to hold discussion on April 15-16,” the Speaker said.
Under the amendments passed by the Armenian Parliament on March 17, public events may be forbidden in case of reliable evidence proving that they aim at throwing down the constitutional order, stirring up national, racial or religious hatred, at war and violence propaganda or if the events may harm the state security, public order, morals and health of the public, constitutional rights and freedoms of other people.
The law reads that the evidence can be considered reliable if the Police of the National Security Service provides official conclusion on the case.
ODIHR/OSCE and the CE Venice Commission voiced concerns over the amendments and said that they restrict the freedom of assembly, whereas the bill authors state that the amendments are in full compliance with the European Convention on Human Rights. –0--
The CE is confident that Armenia will maintain committed to CE values, de Puig said at his meeting with the Speaker of Armenian Parliament Tigran Torosian who is participating in the 30th plenary session of CIS Interparliamentary Assembly in Sankt-Petersburg.
De Puig also expressed concern about the events happened in Armenia. Although the reasons for imposing an emergency rule could be understood, anyway the state of emergency set serious restrictions in terms of democracy. He voiced his support to the report of the PACE observer mission in the presidential elections in Armenia; according to the report the elections of February 19 were held mainly in compliance with international standards.
De Puig said he intends to visit the South Caucasus region soon.
The Speaker of the Armenian Parliament Tigran Torosian, in his part, appreciated the balance stand of the PACE on the events in Armenia and stressed the importance of the role and the mission of the Council of Europe in solving the existing problems.
He attached importance to having a clear picture of the situation during the upcoming discussion on activities of democratic institutions in Armenia. Torosian also appreciated the election monitoring and post-election fact-finding mission headed by the PACE reporter John Prescott. In the reports of these missions elections and post-elections processes have been clearly differentiated which is very important for having a clear view of the situation.
Torosian reported serious recommendations made on establishing stability and on democratic processes in the country and considered it useful to reflect them in the PACE resolution.
In speaking about the amendments to the law on assemblies, rallies and demonstrations Torosian said that they were passed at a special parliament session and have been immediately sent to CE Venice Commission for examination.
“We have already received the opinion of the experts and agreed with the Venice Commission to hold discussion on April 15-16,” the Speaker said.
Under the amendments passed by the Armenian Parliament on March 17, public events may be forbidden in case of reliable evidence proving that they aim at throwing down the constitutional order, stirring up national, racial or religious hatred, at war and violence propaganda or if the events may harm the state security, public order, morals and health of the public, constitutional rights and freedoms of other people.
The law reads that the evidence can be considered reliable if the Police of the National Security Service provides official conclusion on the case.
ODIHR/OSCE and the CE Venice Commission voiced concerns over the amendments and said that they restrict the freedom of assembly, whereas the bill authors state that the amendments are in full compliance with the European Convention on Human Rights. –0--
