The Staff of the National Assembly carried out works not as with the voters, so with the citizens, revising and implementing programs, which are aimed at strengthening the connection between the parliament and the citizens. This process does not contain political component, but creates a special platform, with the help of which different layers of the citizens, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) get acquainted with the works of the legislative body: welcoming the representatives of the House Democracy Partnership (HDP) in parliament: The RA NA Chief of Staff-Secretary General Davit Arakelyan said.
On June 28, discussion entitled Strengthening the Voters’ Involvement took place in the National Assembly, where the NA deputies, representatives of the House Democracy Partnership (HDP), the National Democratic Institute (NDI) Armenia Office and the NA Staff.
According to the NA Chief of Staff-Secretary General, the works in this direction are done within the framework of the budget program Rise of the Role of the National Assembly, so with the support of the international partners, particularly, the UN Development Programme (UNDP) Modern Armenia for a Modern Parliament Project and the Parliamentary Centre (Canada).
“Within the framework of the UNDP Modern Armenia for a Modern Parliament Project the concept of the Democratic Centre was revised, and its content is the creation of the communication with the citizens from technical equipment to different platforms. You began your visit to the RA National Assembly from the reception, visited the citizens’ reception hall, museum and library. All this is the best reflection of the concept of that Centre,” Davit Arakelyan said.
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He informed that last year for the first time the program Summer School of the National Assembly began, where the students of the high schools of Yerevan and closer regions took part. Within the two-week program they got acquainted with the activities of the National Assembly, the structure and the peculiarities of the Staff, met with the MPs. Thematic discussions on law, political science and international relations were held. The participants had meetings with the RA President, the Prime Minister, the judges of the Constitutional Court (CC), as well as visited the Public Television. This year the students of the marzes/regions will also be included, and a cultural program is designed.
According to the Chief of Staff-Secretary General, the works of the Parliamentary Centre (Canada) are concentrated with the NGOs, which work with the persons with disabilities, women and the young people for creating a special platform. The program is aimed at making the National Assembly more inclusive in terms of technical and substantive terms.
Presenting the members of the delegation and thanking for the warm reception, the Deputy Country (Armenia) Director at the National Democratic Institute Coen Pustjens noted that the Parliament of Armenia has progress in many spheres, including the contacts with the citizens. He highlighted the latter’s easy access to the parliament, as well as the deputies’ meetings with the citizens in the communities. “We understand that the citizens’ engagement is a big priority for the parliament, the deputies and the factions,” he said.
The members of the delegation noted that they expect creation of firmer ties between the US Congress and the RA Parliament, and within its framework specialists with different experience can support the works being done.
“In 2018, democratic revolution took place in our country, and it is impossible to imagine the activities of the political force that came into power due to people without close communication and cooperation with the people. The ruling political force highlights the meetings with the public,” the NA deputy Hasmik Hakobyan said, presenting the planned and non-planned meetings of the parliamentarians with the citizens, the visits to the marzes, the working debates in the committees. According to her, the voters also have individual meetings with the deputies. Almost all deputies are available on the social networks. Hasmik Hakobyan noted that there is need to inform the citizens about the themes that they can address the deputies. Discussions have already been initiated for teaching parliamentarism at schools.
The Head of the Public Relations and Communication Department Lauara Antonyan mentioned that the citizens’ reception is of systemized character in the National Assembly, which carries out the Citizen Reception and Document Circulation Department of the NA Staff. She spoke about the ‘Itinerant National Assembly,’ as well as the programs being designed with the students in the near future. Touching upon the activities of the Public Relations and Communication Department, Laura Antonyan stressed that they try to do their best for operatively presenting the parliamentary works to the public.
Speaking about the cooperation with the mass media, the Head of the Department informed that the employees of the Department prepare reports, reportages on the activities of the foreign delegations, the deputies who visited distant regions of Armenia, including the deputies that are sent to other countries, post on the NA official website, on the social platforms, as well as spread via electronic mail to all mass media that are accredited in the parliament. Laura Antonyan mentioned that after every session the employees of the Department also sum up the works of the NA Standing Committees, posting the reportages on the social platforms.
The Head of the Department of Foreign Relations Tigran Seyranyan presented the activities of the Department and the internships being implemented and their efficiency.
The NA Deputy Chief of Staff Heghine Khachikyan noted that following the safety rules, rather extensive programs of the citizens’ engagement are implemented. She presented the cognitive visits, the Open Lessons. According to Heghine Khachikyan, considerable growth in quantity of the visits was registered in the first half of this year compared with the past year. She spoke about the programs being scheduled in raising the role of the National Assembly in the near future.
The members of the House Democracy Partnership delegation presented their vision of the components of the activities of the public relations, as well as informed that they will present the report on the discussions launched today to their counterparts.
National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia