Epress.am News from Armenia
The ruling Republican Party of Armenia (HHK) voted against a proposal by opposition and opposition-leaning parties to establish an ad-hoc committee that would examine fines for those caught by speed sensors and surveillance cameras.
At todays' start of the next four-day session of the National Assembly, Heritage Party MP Ruben Hakobyan asked for a 20-minute recess to hold parliamentary discussions on establishing a new ad-hoc committee.
The four parliamentary parties requested this committee (Armenian Revolutionary Federation, Prosperous Armenia Party, Heritage Party, and Armenian National Congress) to examine the validity of the increase in public transportation fares, additional payments, speed sensors, surveillance cameras, and paid parking, and the increase in a hidden tax burden through fines for compulsory insurance for non-operational vehicles.
After the break, head of the HHK faction Galust Sahakyan said his party is against creating the committee since the government is also for change.
Prosperous Armenia Party MP Naira Zohrabyan said the April 23 hearings with the government showed that the administration believes the fines are proportionate.
"After hearing the opinion of the invited party, we remain of the opinion that the issue should be resolved in the National Assembly," she said.
Regardless, the parliamentary majority rejected the proposal to establish the committee, with 62 against and 51 in favor.