WILL AD HOC COMMITTEE ACT BEHIND CLOSED DOORS?

“A full revelation of the March 1 occurrences is first of all advantageous to the authorities as only after giving answers to these thorny questions they will be able to turn over the page and go ahead. Otherwise questions will continue being put from the NA rostrum and numerous squares,” said the chairman of the NA Standing Committee on Legal Affairs David Harutiunian. He is confident that they have chosen the best form of an ad hoc committee.
David Harutiunian says the committee is to consider the issues posed in the Human Rights Ombudsman’s special report as well.
Asked whether the journalists will have an access to follow the committee’s work and whether the committee’s activities will be broadcast on TV, David Harutiunian said “he finds it inexpedient as cameras and journalists imply some elements of a show and a political force tries to appear to the best in front of cameras.
The only opposition force in the National Assembly, “Zharangutiun,” demands to have a clear-cut proportion of forces in the committee-50% from the opposition and another 50 % from the authorities. This will enable the committee to gain public confidence.
“We shouldn’t draw a preconceived opinion of the committee which isn’t yet set up. We cannot say the child is deaf or blind unless he/she is born,” said OYK MP Hovhannes Margarian.
The co-author of the proposal, BHK member Naira Zohrabian says we shouldn’t be ill-disposed to the committee. She advised recruiting more specialists and experts in the committee.
“Zharangutiun” MP Vardan Khachatrian noted that the March 1 events divided Armenia’s history into two parts. That page cannot be closed unless public confidence is restored.
“I wouldn’t like the March 1 events to stir up hostility and give grounds for settling accounts,” Vardan Khacahtrian said in reply to NA Speaker Tigran Torossian. Then he added that some issues really demand discretion.
The draft bill on the formation of an ad hoc committee will be brought to a vote on June 12. The “Zharangutiun” will abstain in the vote while the coalition majority will vote for the bill.

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