PACE: chapter on March 2008 events in Armenia can finally be considered closedOctober 6, 2011 - 11:42 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - The outcome of the latest general amnesty in Armenia, the renewed impetus to investigate the 10 deaths during the March 2008 events, and the resulting start of a constructive dialogue between the opposition and ruling coalition mean that the chapter on the March 2008 events can finally be considered closed for the Assembly, whilst its monitoring of Armenia’s human rights and democracy obligations, including with respect of the investigation into the ten causalities, will continue unabated, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) said. Adopting a resolution, based on a report by Axel Fischer (Germany, EPP/CD) and John Prescott (United Kingdom, SOC), the Assembly welcomed the political will demonstrated by “the authorities and indeed all political forces to resolve this issue in line with Council of Europe standards and recommendations”. According to the parliamentarians, the 2008 events and their aftermath have set clear priorities for the democratic development of the country: “the conduct of genuinely democratic parliamentary elections; the creation of a robust democratic and pluralist political environment that has the full trust of the Armenian public; the establishment of an open and pluralist media environment; the reform of the police and the reform of the judiciary with a view to guaranteeing its independence both in law and practice”. The adopted text welcomes the “close and constructive co-operation” between the Assembly and the Armenian authorities, which it considers to be “an example” for the development of co-operation in the framework of the Monitoring Procedure of the Assembly. Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". Partner news | Ucom Celebrates Telecommunication Day May 17 commemorates the founding of the International Telecommunication Union on May 17, 1865. Armenian, Azerbaijani heads of parliament meet in Switzerland President of the Armenian parliament Alen Simonyan met with the Speaker of the Azerbaijani Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova. Border residents overnight on highway to protest Armenia’s Residents of Kirants continue to express outrage over the government’s decision to cede land to Azerbaijan. Get Started: An educational platform for young startuppers The Get Started program which operates in two phases is an important platform for young startuppers. |