Armenian parliament to consider vesting ministerial powers in government apparatus

YEREVAN, May 8. /ARKA/. The Armenian government on Wednesday decided to send to the National Assembly’s consideration the amended law on the structure of the government that will vest, if approved, the Cabinet’s apparatus with ministerial powers.

According to justice minister, Hrayr Tovmasyan, the bill provides for empowering the head of the government staff with ministerial powers, ‘because in recent years the activity of the government apparatus has been involving functions which contain elements of the politics.’

Prime minister Tigran Sargsyan said the burden on the government apparatus and its newly appointed head Vache Gabrielyan is going to grow significantly, because it will  be given the responsibility for coordinating the work of various ministries in the implementation of reforms in  education, health and governance system.

The prime minister also spoke in favor of making relating changes to the Constitution to increase the number of deputy prime ministers, which, in his opinion, will contribute to a more efficient organization of the work of the government.

This bill was described by the government as urgent. Today president Serzh Sargsyan signed a decree on the appointment of members of the new government, formed after the presidential election on February 18.-0-