In accordance with the Article 5.2.1 of the law on State Government System Bodies, the National Security Service (NSS) is a body subordinate to the RA Prime Minister, meanwhile the Director of the Service and the Director Deputies, according to the current regulations, are appointed and dismissed by the President of the Republic> It is necessary to review the current regulations in a way that the Prime Minister will appoint and dismiss the mentioned persons.
On December 20, at the extraordinary sitting of the NA Standing Committee on Defense and Security the RA Deputy Minister of Justice Armenuhi Harutyunyan said, presenting the draft on Amending the Law on Service in the National Security Bodies.
According to him, thus the compliance of the appointing and dismissing order of the persons holding state administrative positions, as well as the status prescribed by Article 6 of the law on Public Service with the common logic of the public service.
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It was noted that after the adoption of the designing amendments the NSS Director and the deputies will be the persons holding public position, and the other employees of the national security – persons holding military positions. It is also necessary to specify the possibility of the execution of the disciplinary rights towards the persons holding military service position to ensure proper life for the mission, functions and goals of the National Security Service, making relevant addendum to the law Disciplinary Code of the RA Armed Forces.
The RA Deputy Minister of Justice also answered the deputies’ questions.
The Chair of the NA Standing Committee on Defense and Security Andranik Kocharyan was interested in the fact of similar changes will also be in other structures subordinate to the Prime Minister.
In response, it was noted that in the near future the most probably such changes will be made, as it is a demand of law.
Touching upon the urgency of the adoption of the package of the drafts, Armenuhi Harutyunyan documented that the adoption of the package of the amendments was postponed several times for various reasons, and these regulations are considered to be a legislative necessity.
During the exchange of ideas, the deputy of the NA Armenia Faction Gegham Manukyan documented that until now we don’t have Commander of Border Guard Troops. He proposed the attendees to restore the former regulation, when the Commander of Border Guard Troops was also considered the NSS Deputy Director.
The Chair of the NA Standing Committee on Defense and Security Andranik Kocharyan, expressing his disagreement related to this proposal, stated that for avoiding so called mess, the degree orders should be distinctly set out in the power structures, and the titles should be specified in terms of their functionality and distribution.
The co-rapporteur, the Deputy Chair of the NA Standing Committee on Defense and Security Armen Khachatryan highlighted the adoption of the legislative package and called on his colleagues to vote for it.
As a result of comprehensive debate, the Committee members endorsed the legislative initiative of the Government.
On December 22, at the NA extraordinary session the package of the drafts will be debated in the 24-hour procedure.
National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia
