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    Emil Lazarian
  • 6 years ago
    • Categories: 2020

Armenia parliament approves bill on coronavirus restrictions without formal state of emergency

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 18:48, 4 September, 2020

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 4, ARMENPRESS. The Armenian parliament adopted at second reading a government-authored bill enabling the government to enforce the coronavirus-related safety rules and restrictions as well as lockdowns without a formal state of emergency in place. The new law allows authorities to impose lockdowns, shut down the country’s borders, restrict public gatherings or isolate people infected with COVID-19 or close towns where outbreaks will be registered. 

The currently active state of emergency, originally declared for one month in March and extended ever since, will expire September 11 and authorities say they won’t prolong it again.

The bill passed by 70 votes by 19.

Lawmakers from both opposition parties – the Prosperous Armenia (BHK) and Bright Armenia (LHK) – voted it down.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan

Emil Lazarian: “I should like to see any power of the world destroy this race, this small tribe of unimportant people, whose wars have all been fought and lost, whose structures have crumbled, literature is unread, music is unheard, and prayers are no more answered. Go ahead, destroy Armenia . See if you can do it. Send them into the desert without bread or water. Burn their homes and churches. Then see if they will not laugh, sing and pray again. For when two of them meet anywhere in the world, see if they will not create a New Armenia.” - WS