In its continuous efforts to disseminate information about social democracy in Armenia, the Hrayr Maroukhian Foundation, in cooperation with the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, has begun translating the FES Academy of Social Democracy’s “Economics and Social Democracy,” (Simon Vaut et al.). Last year the Hrayr Maroukhian Foundation, in cooperation with the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, launched this series of translations with…
A standing committee of the Armenian parliament held on Wednesday, February 15, hearings on a major voting reform which the country’s leading opposition forces say would make the upcoming parliamentary elections more democratic. The committee on legal affairs agreed to discuss the idea of holding the elections only on a party-list basis despite its rejection…
During today’s press briefings at the Parliament, the Head of ARF-D Parliamentary Faction Vahan Hovhannesyan said that the adoption of the law “On Private Guard Activity” was very important and reminded that it was the ARF-D that first introduced it around 2000 concerned about the unacceptable accumulation of these services around the rich elite. ARF-D’s…
According to www.7or.am, the government refused today, ARF-D and Heritage (Zharangutyun) parties’ proposition about discussing the passing to a 100% proportional electoral system. The First Deputy Justice Minister Gourgen Mouradyan commenting on the two oppositional parties’ initiative said that holding such discussions now would be practically pointless because those discussions require a long time. In…
The draft law “On Amending the Legal Regime of the State of Emergency” was submitted on Wednesday February 8, by the Justice Minister for debate in the first reading of the Parliament. Taking the floor, ARF-D Member of Parliament Lilit Galstyan said that while this is a very important draft law still there are some…
During a Q&A session with the government, ARF-D Member of Parliament Ruzan Arakelyan raised the Artsvashen village, now under azeri occupation, former residents’ housing issue. Arakelyan, stressed the fact that the residents which have settled down Chambarak city, have bought on special loans, mostly wooden or clay houses. “Twenty years later, Artsvashen people are facing…
Commenting on the findings of the National Statistical Service’s last census, ARF-D Parliamentary Faction’s Secretary Artashes Shahbazyan said that during the last year nearly 50.000 people left Armenia. “It’s quite clear that the emigration rate has grown in comparison to previous years” he said reminding that these are the state’s data. Furthermore, he stated that…
The ARF-D Parliamentary Faction remained neutral during today’s voting of the draft law “On Restriction of cash operations”. According to www.mardik.am, the ARF-D Member of Parliament Artsvik Minasyan explained that the draft law contains some risks that should be reviewed and if lifted by the government between the first and second hearings then ARF-D will…
A January 25 Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) declaration condemned mining projects in Armenia that disregard the rights of citizens. Among the 44 signatories, 2 are representatives from Armenia: Armenian Revolutionary Federation-Dashnaktsutyun (ARF-D) MP Armen Rustamyan and Heritage Party MP Zaruhi Postanjyan. The statement accused the Armenian government of “violating its international…
“If the main political forces agree in principle to pass to a 100% proportional electoral system why not do that now? Why is it that ARP (Armenia’s Republican Party) doesn’t take that step now? The single-constituency system has served on one hand as a tool for the authorities to reproduce themselves and on the other…
