ArmInfo. The Armenian government decided at the meeting on September 6 on the members to represent the government in the Public Council: this time the local government bodies, the self-governing and creative unions, student and youth organizations, veteran unions will participate in the work of the council.
According to the decision of the government, Vazgen Manukyan, Armen Ter-Tachatyan, Anahit Agoyan, Karlos Ghazaryan, Hovik Musayelyan, Hovhannes Hovhannisyan, Babken Pipoyan, Vardan Azatyan, Harutyun Mesropyan, Gagik Ginosyan, Narine Khachaturyan (Tukhikyan), Ashot Hakobyan, Yurik Javadyan, Arkady Ter-Tadevosyan, Hrant Abrahamyan are appointed members of the Public Council.
To note, the procedure for appointing a member of the Public Council is determined by the new law "On the Public Council" adopted on March 7 of this year by the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia. According to the requirements of the updated Constitution, the Public Council is recognized as an advisory body to the government of Armenia. The bill establishes the procedure for forming a council. In contrast to the previous Public Council with the participation of 36 members, 45 people will be represented in the new composition. Members of the council can be people who have reached the age of 25, with knowledge and experience. Instead of the current 12 advisory commissions, 5 branch commissions will now act within the council. Extraordinary meetings of the Council may be convened at the request of not 2/3 of the council members, as it is today, but 1/3. Sessions of the Public Council, which will be open, can occur at least once every two months against three months at present. The Public Council will be financed from the accounts of the state budget. The Public Council will be assisted by the Office of the Public Council, which will receive the status of a governmental body. The government appoints 15 members of the council, which will then receive the right to appeal to local self-government bodies, land and creative unions, student and youth organizations, veterans' unions, etc. with a proposal to nominate candidates to the council. Having received data on the candidates, closed voting will be held, following which 15 members of the council who received the largest number of votes will be identified. After that, already 30 members of the council will elect the remaining 15 members. After completion of all these procedures, the RA Prime Minister will present the list of council members for approval to the president of the country. The activity of a member of the council can not be suspended within a year after his/her appointment. Under the Public Council, the Chamber for National Minorities will operate, which will become an advisory body. Currently, a new draft law "On National Minorities" is being prepared, which will regulate issues related to national minorities.