President meets with Public Council members

President Serzh Sargsyan today held a meeting with the members of the Public Council (PC). The broadened meeting was also attended by some heads of Public Council committees, i.e. those of the Committee for National Minorities and of different subcommittees, as well as by collegium members. The President of the Public Council Vazgen Manukyan made a report on the Council’s activity history for the past six years – the works carried out by the 12 committees of the Public Council, the issues discussed and decisions made at PC usual sessions and PC plenary sessions, the results of public discussions over clamorous issues, the requests, proposals and decisions submitted to the RA President, the RA government and its ministries. The President of the Public Council also talked about the projects to be implemented in the next two years.

The Armenian President congratulated the President of the Public Council and all its members on their successful efforts. Serzh Sargsyan noted that throughout these years, the Public Council has always provided input into every issue through holding discussions and making proposals and what is more important, it has been done on its own initiative. “Taking into account the past, I am sure that the Public Council should play a major role in the Republic of Armenia, and it is no accident that as Mr. Manukyan mentioned, we have explored the opportunity to enact special laws. According to specialists, we do not have that opportunity, but we have agreed to include some provisions in the Constitution so that we can then develop legislation. I think that this could raise the importance of the Public Council. Thank you for the joint work,” said President Serzh Sargsyan after the President of the Public Council had made his report.

As part of the meeting agenda, Vigen Sargsyan, Chief Coordinator of the State Commission on Coordination of the events for the commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide and Chief of the Presidential Administration, presented the time-table of the centennial commemorative events endorsed by the commission and their geography, as well as the main goals of the commemorative program and its significance.

Serzh Sargsyan made a speech on the third item on the agenda and briefly introduced the members of the Public Council to the background of the RA Constitutional Amendments Process, to the prerequisites of getting approved the Concept Paper on Constitutional Amendments drafted by the Specialized Commission for Constitutional Amendments adjunct to the RA President, spoke about his recent meetings with a series of representatives of national political parties and about the discussions held during those meetings.

The President noted that the concept paper is focused on the advantages of the parliamentary system of government, its progressive aspects and added that the Venice Commission has also expressed its satisfaction with it. At the same time, Serzh Sargsyan talked about his yet-unaddressed concerns, stressing that the specialized commission too has highlighted the same issues. The Armenian President informed the members of the Public Council that today he is going to officially approve the concept paper, thereby signaling start to drafting the main text of the Constitution during which all possible issues will be examined and addressed.