YEREVAN. –At Wednesday’s special session of the National Assembly of Armenia, the MPs passed, in the first reading, a number of legislative initiatives, including the package of bills on additions and amendments to the Criminal Code and related laws.

To note, the essence of these changes is the imposing of criminal liability for obstructing the election campaign. As many analysts have already stated, the authorities hastily prepared a package of bills after the failure of acting Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's visit to Syunik Province, the residents of which drove him out of their communities, accusing him of treason.

The opposition Prosperous Armenia and Bright Armenia factions, however, did not take part in the respective voting.