Venice Commission and Council of Europe submit joint opinion on draft of Law “On national minorities”

At the 139^th plenary session of the European Commission for Democracy through Law (Venice Commission), the Joint Opinion of the Venice Commission and the Directorate General of Democracy and Human Dignity (DGII) of the Council of Europe on the draft Law "On national minorities", was approved.

Modification of the draft Law "On national minorities" on the part of the Ministry of Justice is planned under the 2023-2025 Action Plan arising from the National Strategy for Human Rights Protection. The Draft lays down the rights of persons belonging to the national minorities in various spheres of public and private life and the grounds for exercising those rights, the obligations of state bodies with regard to the guarantee of these rights, as well as the grounds for the formation and operation of the Council on National Minorities.

The Venice Commission and the Directorate General of Democracy and Human Dignity of the Council of Europe welcomed Armenia's efforts to resume the process of modifying the Draft and mentioned that this will help to bring the legislation of the Republic of Armenia related to the rights of national minorities into compliance with international standards. A number of recommendations were presented in the Joint Opinion with regard to the concept and scope of national minorities, the guarantees for freedom to use their respective languages and ensuring of their right to education, the rules and mandate for the formation of the Council on National Minorities and other issues.