Council of Europe Congress carrying out monitoring visit to ArmeniaMay 14, 2019 - 11:00 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - A delegation from the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe is carrying out a monitoring visit to Armenia from 13 to 14 May 2019, to assess the implementation of the provisions of the European Charter of Local Self-Government, which the country ratified in 2002. Two co-rapporteurs on local and regional democracy in Armenia, Bryony Rudkin, United Kingdom (L, SOC), and Gunn Marit Helgesen, Norway (R, EPP/CCE), will consider how local self-government has evolved in the country since the adoption of the Congress’s last recommendation in 2014 and the signature of a post monitoring roadmap in 2016. Meetings are scheduled to take place in Yerevan, in particular withMinister of Territorial Administration and Development, Suren Papikyan, the Chair of the Standing Committee on Territorial Administration of the National Assembly Varazdat Karapetyan, the Chair of the Audit Chamber, Levon Yolyan, and a representative of the Office of the Human Rights Defender. The delegation will also hold exchanges with Hakob Shahgaldyan, Mayor of Charentsavan, and Edgar Khachatryan, Mayor of Solak. Meetings are also planned with representatives of several Armenian associations of local and regionally authorities and with members of the Armenian delegation to the Congress. The draft report and draft recommendation should be on the agenda for approval by the Committee on the Honouring of Obligations and Commitments by Member States of the European Charter of Local Self-Government (Monitoring Committee) at one of its next meetings in 2019. Armenia ratified the European Charter of Local Self-Government in 2002. Countries which have ratified the Charter are bound by its provisions. The Charter requires compliance with a minimum number of rights, which form the European bedrock of local self-government. The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities makes sure that these principles are observed. Top stories Six total incidents have burned 19 old-growth trees. Friday night 8 trees were torched along the beautiful main entrance. The EU does not intend to conduct military exercises with Armenia, Lead Spokesperson for EU Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Peter Stano says. Hikmet Hajiyev has said that there is no place for USAID operation in Azerbaijan any longer. A telephone conversation between Putin and Pashinyan before the CSTO summit is not planned, Peskov says. Partner news | Azerbaijan says now controls 4 villages as part of deal with Armenia Azerbaijan's border service has taken control of four villages in the Gazakh district on the border with Armenia. Lukashenko has "very interesting proposal" involving Caucasus Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko has said he has "a very interesting proposal" involving the Caucasus region. Azerbaijan establishing three military colleges Three military colleges are being established in Azerbaijan, according to a decree signed by the country’s Prime Minister Ali Asadov. Armenian border troops stationed in Tavush Starting from May 24, the Armenian border troops officially take over the protection of sections of the border in the Tavush region. |