YEREVAN.  Democratic reforms, creation of an atmosphere of tolerance, justice and cooperation are top priority issues for us, Secretary of Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) Eduard Sharmazanov told Armenian News-NEWS.am, commenting on Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Thomas Hammarberg’s report on Armenia.

Sharmazanov considered it important that the Commissioner welcomed the recent instruction from President Sargsyan with regard to the investigation into the death cases and make the process more open and public. “Regardless of European officials’ reports, this is a very important issue for our country,” he noted.

The MP also stressed that democratic reforms are not an end in itself and are not aimed at pleasing Europe. “We have chosen this path and we should draw lessons from the tragic events,” he noted, adding that the investigation conducted by law enforcement agencies should be open and public. “However, unbiased difficulties should also be remembered,” Sharmazanov said.

As Armenian News-NEWS.am reported earlier, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Thomas Hammarberg released a report on May 9 on his visit to Armenia carried out in January 2011. The report focuses on human rights issues related to the March 2008 events, freedom of expression and freedom of assembly and association, and the human rights situation in the army.