The matter of adopting the package of draft laws on making an addendum to the Law on the Public Services Regulatory Authority and on making addenda and amendments the Law on Energy in first reading was put to a vote in the National Assembly (NA) of Armenia on Wednesday and was passed in the first reading.

A total of 65 MPs voted in favor, 30 against, and no lawmakers abstained.

The aforesaid package is basically on nationalizing the Electric Networks of Armenia (ENA) company.

After Russian Armenian entrepreneur and philanthropist Samvel Karapetyan’s statement to stand with the Armenian Apostolic Church, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan had announced that it was indispensable to consider nationalizing the ENA, and gave instructions in this regard to the respective Armenian agencies.

Amid criticism, however, Pashinyan stated that this matter was on the agenda even before Karapetyan’s aforesaid statement.