YEREVAN. – Armenian National Assembly (NA) Speaker Hovik Abrahamyan attended and addressed, on Monday in Moscow, an international parliamentary conference, with the theme being “Modern Parliamentarism and the Future of Democracy,” NA press service informs. 

In his presentation, Abrahamyan underscored the role of the parliaments in further development of democracy and establishment of a civil society. In his words, it is necessary to find more effective means of interaction between the body politic and the authorities. In his view, the national parliaments need to cooperate more closely with NGOs.     

“We attach great importance to the development of the culture of democracy in Armenia’s NA. Not solely the political structure but, also, the political interests of a variety of social groups are reflected at Armenia’s National Assembly today,” Hovik Abrahamyan noted.   

In the NA Speaker’s words, parliamentary hearings are conducted at Armenia’s National Assembly, and this ensures the civil society’s participation in the adoption of laws. As per Abrahamyan, the parliament of Armenia is becoming a platform for the formation of social consensus.      

Within the framework of the aforementioned conference, Armenian NA Speaker Hovik Abrahamyan also met with OSCE Parliamentary Assembly (PA) President Riccardo Migliori.

Abrahamyan noted that Armenia highly evaluates cooperation with the OSCE organizations, and he underscored OSCE PA’s role in the development of interparliamentary discourse. In the Armenian parliament leader’s words, Armenia attaches importance to this organizations’ assistance provided to the ongoing democratic reforms in the country. Also, Hovik Abrahamyan highly appreciated the OSCE’s impartial observation missions during elections in OSCE member states, and he considered it necessary to continue cooperation with the democratic institutions of OSCE.          

OSCE PA President Riccardo Migliori likewise gave a high assessment to the level of interaction between the OSCE PA and the Armenian NA, and he underscored the need to further develop the cooperation.   

In addition, the interlocutors reflected on regional matters, the Nagorno-Karabakh peace process, and other issues of bilateral interest. They stressed that the Karabakh conflict needs to be settled through peace negotiations and along the lines of the OSCE Minsk Group.