The Government-submitted draft bill on ‘Legal Regime of Emergency Situation’ is being discussed at the National Assembly; the new law will define the circumstances under which emergency situations would be declared in Armenia.

There is an assumption among oppositionists and mass media that just three months ahead of the upcoming Parliamentary elections, the Government submits such a bill to the National Assembly, fearing that 03/08 clashes might be repeated (when 10 people died during post election fighting between opposition supporters and law enforcement bodies)

On March 1, 2008 then President of Armenia Robert Kocharyan declared an emergency situation in Armenia, which was disputed by the opposition, which stated that the president’s decision was illegal, because Armenia did not have a law on emergency situation.

Minister of Justice of Armenia Hrayr Tovmasyan, who presented the bill to the lawmakers, believes that the bill is even belated, and he says that the law is needed for making all relations precisely and certainly regulated through a law.

The minister brushed off opposition criticism, saying the opposition would find ways to criticize it no matter what the timing of its introduction.

Under the bill, an emergency situation will be declared in Armenia when “Usurping state power, i.e. seizure of state power, in violation of the Constitution of the Republic of Armenia, or keeping it with violence” are attempted.

Tovmasyan says that an emergency situation is planned to be declared also in cases of armed revolt, mass disorder, terrorist attacks, and occupations or in case of blockade of special facilities.

“The interference of the armed forces will be acceptable in case if the forces of the Police and the national security services are not enough,” Tovmasyan says.

Opposition lawmakers are against the involvement of the army, because they believe that the army’s interference in inter-political processes is dangerous.

“The basis of the bill is March 1, 2008. Is it appropriate to give the authorities an opportunity to use the army in Armenia which has the poor experience of the elections [in 2008]? The authorities which must leave, will not leave, they will keep their power enjoying the opportunity of using the army,” says Armen Martirosyan from opposition Heritage faction.