Public discussion on draft Law of the Republic of Armenia "On national minorities"

On 2 March, Deputy Minister of Justice of the Republic of Armenia Vigen Kocharyan held a working discussion on the draft Law "On national minorities" with the members of the Council co-ordinating the activities of national-cultural organisations of national minorities of the Republic of Armenia adjunct to the Staff to the President of the Republic of Armenia.

Presenting the main provisions of the draft Law to the nearly twenty representatives of national minorities attending the meeting, Deputy Minister V. Kocharyan highlighted the fact that the Law is aimed at enshrining, in a co-ordinated manner, the mechanisms for persons belonging to national minorities to exercise their rights and that adoption of the Law arises from the requirement of the new Constitution. According to the Deputy Minister, the goal of adoption of the Law is to specify the circle of persons belonging to national minorities, define the main rights of persons belonging to national minorities, the objectives of state and local self-government bodies to ensure exercise of those rights, as well as form an advisory body for consideration of the issues concerning national minorities.

Afterwards, Deputy Minister Kocharyan responded to the questions of the representatives of national minorities and interpreted in detail certain provisions of the draft Law, including the provisions regarding the procedure for formation and the status of the advisory body.

Summing up the discussion, Vigen Kocharyan attached importance to the opinions and recommendations of the national minorities regarding the draft Law and urged them to submit their recommendations regarding the draft presented on the unified platform for draft legal acts (https://www.e-draft.am/projects/770).