Aravot.am asked Vice President of the National Assembly, Republican Party MP Hermineh Naghdalyan how it is possible to keep the MPs’ within the range of ethics by developing a “Code of Conduct for MPs”. She assured that everything is a matter of time. “The political system of our country is in the process of development. These are procedures, which proceed differently in the world. This is a work of years and decades; this is a process of development, a period of creating different traditions, overcoming the drawbacks. The process of establishment, development and improvement of the political system in Armenia proceeds pretty fast. Even for some issues, we are much more demanding than in other countries. For example, to be engaged in entrepreneurial activities in the UK is not disallowed, to be a shareholder for the MP is not disallowed. There are phenomena, there is a regulation to them; we have gone too far in our legislation.”
To our observation that they do not function, Hermineh Naghdalyan disagreed. “It is not so that it does not work. It operates. We still do not have its complete, complex solution, but you see that the number of MP involved in business have become much less. In fact, as of today, just shareholders are left. Gradually, the number of people who could combine jobs, to be directly engaged in entrepreneurial activities have becomes much less.” To our question whether it is possible that the development of the code of conduct for MPs, making it tougher, become a bludgeon over the heads of the opposition, Hermineh Naghdalyan answered, “It would be very dangerous if it occurs. I have this concern, too. Is there a chance to use it against one power, against one opposition? It is also not excluded in our society.” The new preliminary developed code of conduct for MPs says that the MPs are required to turn to their colleagues with ‘Dear Sir/Madam”. According to Hermineh Naghdalyan, “I do not think that the MP or any person can be somehow obligated to address in polite form. Two circumstances are required for it: that the applicant first of all should be a well-bred person, and secondly, whom he/she turns to must be also a man worthy of respect. So that when addressing you, I can quietly and not being obligated by the law turn to you by saying so-and-so, accordingly, we need to have concordance of both sides.”
Hripsime JEBEJYAN
