Lawmaker: We cannot give instructions to citizens (video)
At the beginning of the NA special session, NA Speaker Galust Sahakyan said the special session will continue on Monday as the lawmakers cannot meet at the weekend. The legislature postponed the second reading of several bills until Monday. As usual, lawmakers of the ruling Republican Party of Armenia (HHK) voted for their absent colleagues during the voting of other bills. Before putting the government-proposed bill on making changes to the law on excise tax to the vote, Mikael Melkumyan from the Prosperous Armenia Party (BHK) said his party was against the bill as they find that citizens should not be given instructions at this tense situation. “We agree with you, but yesterday I said that we have an agreement with the government,” said Galust Sahakyan. BHK lawmaker Tigran Urikhanyan said ‘the bill is disastrous.’ “Nothing is disastrous,” said Galust Sahakyan. Hovhannes Margaryan from the Country of Law Party (OEK) said ‘the bill is unprecedented since it has raised complaints not only among the opposition, but also among some HHK lawmakers.’ The party asked for a 20-minute recess to discuss the bill. “I accept your heroic proposal,” Sahakyan said.
