Project Summary PFP Reciprocal Travel Program for U.S. Participants. Proposal for Dedicated Bill Drafting Agency for the Republic of.

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1 2015 PFP Reciprocal Travel Program for U.S. Participants Project Summary Proposal for Dedicated Bill Drafting Agency for the Republic of Armenia Implementing country: Armenia Visiting Expert: Rachelle Marie Niedzwiecki Weed, the California Office of Legislative Counsel, Deputy Legislative Counsel IV Hosting Institution: Yerevan State University, Faculty of Law Hosting Expert: Sayad Badalyan, Lecturer of Constitutional Law at the YSU Faculty of Law, PFP alumnus Dates of visit: November, 2015

2 PROJECT GOALS Goal 1. To justify the necessity for an agency responsible for bill drafting for the improvement of legislation for the Republic of Armenia. Goal 2. To present the justification of the necessity for an agency responsible for bill drafting to the public and to the interested parties. Goal 3. To establish a working professional cooperation with the California Office of Legislative Counsel and Yerevan State University (YSU) Department of Law and the Staff of the National Assembly (NA). In case a special professional agency for bill drafting is established in the RA, such a cooperation may be extended and may be used in order to implement the experience of the California Office of Legislative Counsel in the activities of the RA agency. PROJECT OBJECTIVES Objective 1 As a result of a legal-comparative analysis and in consideration of the experience of the California Office of Legislative Counsel to present the advantages of the centralized model of bill drafting as compared to the decentralized model of it (as applicable in Armenia). Objective 2 To present the justification of the necessity for a special professional body responsible for bill drafting aiming at the improvement of the legislation to the professionals directly involved in the processes of the RA constitutional and legal reforms, in particular to Gagik Ghazinyan and Gevorg Danielyan, members of the Professional Committee for Constitutional Reforms by the President of the Republic of Armenia.

3 Objective 3 To present the peculiarities of the management of the work, the professional relationship between a member of parliament and a draftsman under the centralized model of bill drafting through the case of the California Office of Legislative Counsel. Objective 4 Within the scope of the course on Constitutional Law of Foreign States to deliver a lecture to the third-year students at YSU Department of Law, and to introduce them to the interrelation peculiarities of the state and federal legal systems of the USA. Within the scope of the course on Constitutional Law of the RA to lecture to the second-year students at YSU Department of Law on The peculiarities of the centralized and decentralized model of bill drafting. Objective 5 To hold a professional discussion with the faculty of YSU Department of Law on the centralized model of bill drafting, the applicable mechanisms and the possible outcomes in case of its implementation in the RA.

4 DAY 1 NOVEMBER 7, 2015 A walk through Yerevan Ms. Weed arrived in Yerevan on November 7, early in the morning. Since the first two days of the project were non-working days, the time was spent on informative and cultural visits. On November 7 we had a walk through the Republic Square of Yerevan, the main square of Armenia. The buildings of a number of RA Ministries and Government are situated in the Republic Square. The History Museum of Armenia is also situated in this Square. Ms. Weed visited the Museum where she got acquainted with the exhibits dating from BCE to our days and with the history and culture of Armenia. The History Museum of Armenia was founded under the Parliament Law No. 439, September 9, 1919 and represents an integral picture of the history and culture of Armenia from prehistoric times (one million years ago) till our days. Thus, the History Museum of Armenia was the best place to start the acquaintance with Armenia. A visit to Etchmiadzin DAY 2 NOVEMBER 8, 2015 The next day: 8 th of November was a non-working day too. Using this opportunity, a visit to Etchmiadzin, the spiritual center of Armenia, was organized for Ms. Weed.

5 There is situated the Etchmiadzin Cathedral, which was founded in the place of descent of Jesus Christ according to Gregory the Illuminator s vision and was constructed by Gregory the Illuminator and King Tiridates III from 301 to 303. Besides the cathedral, visits were organized to Saint Hripsime and Saint Gayane Churches in Etchmiadzin. Saint Hripsime Church of Etchmiadzin is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. According to the legend Hripsime, together with the Christian virgins, to avoid the persecutions of the Roman emperor Diocletian ( ), fled to Armenia and preached Christianity, where they were exposed to persecutions and killed with the rest of Christian Holy Virgins. The place of martyrdom of Christian Virgins was then to become the site of the church which was founded in 618. On the same day, on the way back Ms. Weed also visited the ruins of Zvartnots Cathedral, one of the most wonderful monuments of Armenia.

6 DAY 3 NOVEMBER 9, th of November was the first working day of the project. A meeting was planned with Gagik Ghazinyan, the dean of the YSU Faculty of Law and Gevorg Danielyan, the head of the Chair of Constitutional Law. Both Mr. Ghazinyan and Mr. Danielyan are members of the Professional Committee for RA Constitutional Reforms and have participated in the elaboration of RA new constitution, which was passed by the results of referendum held on December 6, The first meeting was with Mr. Ghazinyan. During this meeting Ms. Weed presented the structure and activity procedure of the California Office of Legislative Counsel. Mr. Ghazinyan noted that Armenia needed such a specialized organization for bill drafting. It was emphasized that our country would need such an organization especially after the constitutional amendments, which would increase the role of the Parliament and there would be a necessity for providing the Parliament members with high-quality professional assistance. Mr. Ghazinyan noted that this issue had already been presented to the President s attention who had given his approval to the idea. According to Mr. Ghazinyan in this context it would be very useful to use the example and experience of the California Office of Legislative Counsel as a model for the agency to be founded in Armenia in the future. For this purpose, Mr. Ghazinyan asked for a brief statement about the California Office of Legislative Counsel for using it as an example in future discussions. At the end of the meeting Mr. Ghazinyan voiced hope that the cooperation with the California Office of Legislative Counsel would continue also in the future, especially when a similar organization was founded in Armenia.

7 During the meeting with Mr. Danielyan the main problems in Armenia related to the legislative process were basically discussed. The issues regarding the constitutional amendments were also touched upon, and Mr. Danielyan presented his position regarding the intended constitutional amendments. He as well welcomed the idea of having a specialized body for bill drafting, and noted that this could hugely contribute to improving the quality of RA laws. Mr. Danielyan expressed his support for the implementation of the idea. DAY 4 NOVEMBER 10, 2015 On November 10 the meeting of Ms. Weed with the students of YSU Faculty of Law was planned. The members of the Student Scientific Society of the Faculty of Law participated in the meeting.

8 It was held in the study hall of court sessions. During the meeting Ms. Weed introduced the presentation titled The California Office of Legislative Counsel and its Benefits to the California Legislature and Legislative Process. After the presentation Ms. Weed answered the students questions. The publication on the meeting prepared by YSU press service is available at: DAY 5 NOVEMBER 11, 2015 On November 11 the meeting with Arman Tatoyan, the Deputy Minister of Justice, was planned. During the meeting the idea of creating a specialized body for bill drafting in Armenia was discussed. Mr. Tatoyan presented the Government s approaches to the issue, as well as expressed his interest in the Californian experience in this field. Mr. Tatoyan noted that our Government as well believed it was high time to have such an organization in Armenia. It was also emphasized that peculiarities of RA legal system were to be taken into consideration when implementing this idea. In particular, if in California the California Office of Legislative Counsel mainly serves the members of the legislature, in Armenia the organization should equally serve also the Government because in Armenia the Government as well has a right to legislative initiative. At the end of the meeting Mr. Tatoyan voiced hope that the cooperation with the California Office of Legislative Counsel would

9 continue during the creation of the organization and its activity, and Armenia would have the opportunity of receiving advisory support from the California Office of Legislative Counsel. Ms. Weed expressed her willingness to maximally support the implementation of the idea. During the cultural part of the day sightseeing was arranged for Ms. Weed, in particular to Matenadaran and Cascade. Matenadaran is the preservation and study center of ancient manuscripts and documents. It has world's biggest collection of manuscripts and medieval books. Cascade is one of the most popular places of Yerevan from where opens out a panoramic view of the whole city. DAY 6 NOVEMBER 12, 2015 On November 12 the meeting with Edmon Marukyan, NA deputy, was held. During the meeting Mr. Marukyan presented the formation procedure of NA and the main character of its activity. Mr. Marukyan as well agreed that a specialized organization for bill drafting was needed in our country, since NA deputies could not compete with the Government in legislative process. The reason is that the Government has a greater human and technical resources for bill drafting than the deputies. The specialized organization will help eliminate this inequality. Mr. Marukyan expressed his willingness to promote the implementation of the idea. After the meeting Mr. Marukyan s assistant organized a tour in NA building and its garden.

10 As a cultural part of the day Ms. Weed was invited to singer Ruben Dallakyan s concert. During the concert the singer performed Knockin' on Heaven's Door special for Ms. Weed. DAY 7 NOVEMBER 13, 2015 On the last day of the workweek a meeting was planned with Anahit Manasyan, the adviser of the RA Constitutional court. During the meeting Ms. Manasyan presented the peculiarities of constitutional justice implementation in Armenia and the activity procedure of the court. RA constitutional justice system essentially differs from America s system, that is why Ms. Weed had a number of questions to which Ms. Manasyan answered with pleasure. Some issues related to the intended constitutional amendments in Armenia were discussed as well. During the meeting Ms. Manasyan organized a tour in the building of the Constitutional court to introduce the library and the courtroom. On November 13 a reception was held in the Embassy of the USA in Armenia. During the reception the goals of the project and feasibility prospects were presented to the representatives of the Embassy. The meetings and discussions held within the frames of the project were also touched upon.

11 A tour was organized in Yerevan Brandy Company within the frames of the cultural part of the day. The day ended with a dinner with Sayad Badalyan s family.

12 DAY 8-9 NOVEMBER 14-15, 2015 During the weekend a trip was organized to Southern Armenia: the southern tourist route of Armenia. A number of historical and cultural monuments are situated in this tourist route. In particular, during the trip we visited Khor Virap, Noravank, Jermuk resort and the waterfall of Jermuk. Having spent the night in Goris town, the next day a visit was organized to Wings of Tatev Ropeway and Tatev monastery complex. Wings of Tatev is registered in the Guinness Book of Records as the world's longest ropeway. It crosses over the ravine of Vorotan River and connects the villages on the one side of the ravine to Tatev medieval monastery complex on the other side of the ravine.

13 DAY 10 NOVEMBER 16, 2015 A visit was organized to the School of Advocates of the RA. The meeting was attended by Simon Babayan, the director of the school, Roman Aharonyan, as well as Varser Karapetyan, the PFP graduate and the deputy head of the Office of Public Defender of the Chamber of Advocates. During the meeting the procedure of teaching future advocates as well as the educational projects were presented to Ms. Weed. They exchanged their ideas on the peculiarities of RA and USA institutions of advocates. After the meeting a tour was organized in the school building to introduce the school classrooms and the study hall of court sessions. The day ended with a dinner with PFP alumni.

14 DAY 11 NOVEMBER 17, 2015 On the last working day Sayad Badalyan and Ms. Weed were invited to Kentron TV to be the guests of Let's start again morning program. During the program the importance and effectiveness of exchange programs organized by USA Government were presented to viewers. The goals of this project were touched upon as well. At the end Ms. Weed shared her impressions about Armenia. The video of the program is available at the following link: On the same day a visit was organized to the Armenian Genocide memorial complex and Genocide Museum.

15 At the end of the day an Armenian traditional restaurant hosted a farewell dinner.