The 41st item on the agenda of today’s government session represented amendments to seven laws at once. It was a 60-page package of recommendations on management of epidemiological situations without declaring a state of emergency, but most of the recommendations were related to the restrictions on the rights of people, legal entities and communities. This is what founder of Menu.am Vahan Kerobyan posted on his Facebook page, adding the following:

“For instance, in some cases, the government can instruct people to self-isolate or close roads of villages, settlements and state borders. The package of laws has been in circulation since June and is aimed at organizing everything to live with the epidemic without declaring a state of emergency.

The justice minister delivered a report, after which Human Rights Defender Arman Tatoyan informed and complained that the Office of the Human Rights Defender received the package of amendments yesterday, and the defense minister said the Ministry of Defense hadn’t received the package at all. I repeat that the government hasn’t discussed with the Human Rights Defender and the Ministry of Defense the package of laws, the adoption of which will entail opportunities to set major restrictions on the rights of people and will address the movement of people within and beyond the boundaries of the country.

I believe such an essential change can’t be made urgently and superficially. The Prime Minister wasn’t able to conceal his anger, but is getting angry enough in such a case?

P.S. There was no discussion on the economic situation in Armenia and the 10.2% economic decline in July.”