Parliamentary Hour

10.09.2021

Parliamentary Hour

The main dates and events in the history of the parliament of the Third Republic.

Photo : Armenpress


1990

On the eve of independence, the Supreme Council of the first convocation of Armenia was formed by majority count (260 deputies), in two stages – on May 20, 1990 and June 3, 1990. The new parliament, which took office on July 20, was represented by two political forces: the Communist Party and the Armenian National Movement.

At its first session on August 23, the RA Supreme Council of the 1990 first convocation adopted the “Declaration on the Independence of Armenia”, which announced the beginning of the process of establishing an independent state. Immediately after the adoption of the Declaration, on August 24, based on the “Declaration of Independence of Armenia”, the Supreme Soviet of the Armenian SSR decided to rename the Soviet Socialist Republic of Armenia to the Republic of Armenia, and consider the Supreme Council of the twelfth convocation the Supreme Council of the Republic of Armenia.

On September 10, 1990, the Supreme Council of Armenia adopted the “Law on State Property of the Republic of Armenia”, according to which the property of all the state enterprises, associations, institutions and organizations located in the territory of the Republic was declared the property of the Republic of Armenia.

On November 5, 1990, the Supreme Council adopted a decision to depoliticize the State entities, enterprises, institutions, organizations, educational institutions and military units.

 

1991

On November 26, 1991, the Parliament adopted the law on “Social-Political Organizations”, which formed a multi-party system in the Republic.

On September 23, 1991, based on the results of the September 21, 1991 referendum on secession from the USSR, the Supreme Council of the Republic of Armenia declared the Republic of Armenia an independent state.

On October 16, 1991. Levon Ter-Petrosyan was elected President of the Republic of Armenia, and Gagik Harutyunyan was elected Vice President.

On November 11, a special sitting of the RA Supreme Council was convened which was dedicated to the swearing-in ceremony of the RA President.

The Supreme Council of the Republic of Armenia of the first convocation started its work on July 20, 1990 and ended on May 15, 1995.

During that time, 1169 decisions and 185 laws were adopted, 104 of which were “mother” laws, and 81 were amendments to existing laws. 148 international treaties were ratified.

In May 1991, the parliament moved to the current building which was the former seat of the Communist Party.

In September 1991, the ANM, ADL, ARF, ANC, CPA party factions were formed in the parliament. The parliamentary groups “Republican” (38 deputies), “Artsakh” (11 deputies), “Liberal Democrats” (10 deputies), “National Progress” (10 deputies) were formed in the Supreme Council. The ARF faction was transformed into a parliamentary group (12 deputies).

 

1992

In August 1992, the Law on “Privatization and denationalization of unfinished construction facilities of state-owned enterprises” was adopted, which initiated the process of privatization of the industrial section in the country.

 

1995

The first convocation elections of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia took place on July 5, 1995. The following parties entered the parliament: “Republican”; “Shamiram”; CPA; NDU, and the “Union for National Self-Determination”. Also, the parliamentary group “Reforms” was established in the National Assembly. Later, the “Yerkrapah” part was formed.

On November 7, 1995, the National Assembly adopted the law “On the administrative territorial division of the Republic of Armenia”, according to which 37 administrative regions of the republic were unified to create 10 Marzes.

 

1996

Dissatisfied with the results of the September 1996 presidential elections, the opposition, led by Vazgen Manukyan, organized demonstrations of protest. On the 25th, the opposition attacked the building of the National Assembly, which ended in clashes.

 

1999

On May 30, 1999, the elections of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia of the second convocation took place. The 5% limit set by law was exceeded by six parties and blocs – the “Unity” bloc, CPA, “Law and Unity” bloc, ARF, NDU, and “Rule of Law” party. 

On October 27, 1999, on the last day of the three-day sitting of the National Assembly, during the Q&A of the National Assembly and Government, five armed men broke into the sitting hall of the parliament and opened fire on the deputies and members of the government. The speaker of the National Assembly Karen Demirchyan, the Prime Minister Vazgen Sargsyan, the deputy speakers of the National Assembly Yuri Bakhshyan and Ruben Miroyan, MPs Mikael Kotanyan, Henrik Abrahamyan, Armenak Armenakyan, and the Minister of Operative Affairs Leonard Petrosyan were killed.

At the special session of the National Assembly convened on November 2, a new leadership of the National Assembly was elected.

 

2003

The elections of the National Assembly of the RA third convocation took place on May 25, 2003. Six parties crossed the 5% threshold; the “Republican Party of Armenia”, the “Justice” bloc, the “Rule of Law” party, the “Armenian Revolutionary Federation”, the “National Unity”, and the “United Labor” party.

 

2004

In 2004, the check-point area of the NA building was replenished with one more structure; the section for citizens’ reception and letters was separated from the main buildings.

 

2007

The selections of the National Assembly of the RA fourth convocation took place on May 12, 2007.

 

2007-2008

Additional elections by majority vote took place in August 2007 and in 2008. On August 24, five parliamentary factions were formed; “Republican Party of Armenia”, “Prosperous Armenia”, “Armenian Revolutionary Federation”, “Rule of Law”, and “Heritage”.

 

2009 

In 2009, the construction of the second building next to the main building of the National Assembly was completed. It was designed by “Armproject” research institute. The architect is Marat Rustamyan.

In 2009, ten years after the atrocity of October 27, 1999, a replica of Yervand Kochar’s “Biblical David” sculpture, created in 1953, was erected in the park of the National Assembly.

 

2010

On October 22, 2010, the official opening ceremony of the reconstructed sitting hall of the RA National Assembly took place. The Oval Hall was designed by Anahit Tarkhanyan.

 

2012

The elections of the RA National Assembly of the fifth convocation took place on May 6, 2012. Six parliamentary factions were formed; “Republican Party of Armenia”, “Prosperous Armenia”, “Armenian National Congress”, “Rule of Law”, “Armenian Revolutionary Federation”, and “Heritage”.

2015

On December 2, 2015, constitutional amendments took place, as a result of which Armenia passed to the parliamentary model of government.

 

2017

The RA National Assembly elections of the sixth convocation took place on April, 2017. As a result of the elections, four political forces, two parties and two alliances of parties were voted into the parliament: the Republican Party of Armenia, the “Tsarukyan” alliance of parties, and the “Armenian Revolutionary Federation” party.

 

2018

On October 2, 2018, mass protests demanding the dissolution of the National Assembly took place in Yerevan, and in different settlements of Armenia. The demonstrators demanded early parliamentary elections with peaceful protest action in front of the NA building. Their demand was met and early parliamentary elections were held on December 9 of the same year.

On December 9, 2018, special elections to the National Assembly took place. As a result of the elections, the “My Step” bloc received 88 seats, the “Prosperous Armenia” party – 10, and the “Bright Armenia” party – 7 seats. According to Article 96 of the Constitutional Law of RA Electoral Code, 16 and 11 additional seats were added to parties “Prosperous Armenia” and “Bright Armenia” respectively.

 

2019

The first session of the National Assembly of the seventh convocation opened on January 14, 2019. Three factions were formed: “My Step”, “Prosperous Armenia”, and “Bright Armenia”. On the same day, the President of the republic appointed the candidate of the parliamentary majority, Nikol Pashinyan, as Prime Minister. Ararat Mirzoyan was elected speaker of the National Assembly, Alen Simonyan, Lena Nazaryan and Vahe Enfiajyan were elected Deputy Speakers.

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