The draft law "On Making Amendments and Agenda to Mining Code of the Republic of Armenia" was included in the agenda of the regular meetings of RA National Assembly on April 12, 2022. The issue of adopting the draft law in the first reading is being discussed.
RA Deputy Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure Hovhannes Harutyunyan presented the main amendments envisaged by the draft law. Referring to the provision of supplementing Mining Code with Article 55.1, he noted: "Due to the emergence of invincible force, the legal relations related to the extension of the current soil management right for the duration of these circumstances will be settled, which will enable soil management companies to properly fulfil their obligations, which were not implemented or were not implemented properly in the unpredictable emergency conditions created in the world in recent years in the Republic of Armenia, which had an impact on the fulfilment of soil management obligations.
MP Babken Tunyan referred to the statement spread by the civil society on the project. "After the meeting of the commission, when we gave a positive conclusion to the draft, a number of non-governmental organizations issued a statement expressing their concern over this law. In particular, they mention the provision of the amendment, which lists the cases of force majeure situations - natural disasters, civil war, civil disobedience, which in these cases are considered as force majeure situations, can extend the soil management right of business entities.
They noted that the wording of civil disobedience contained uncertainty, which was open in the law. Please clarify what you mean by civil disobedience, what form this change will take during the first to second readings.
The Deputy Minister responded, “By saying civil disobedience, we understand the opportunity that people can use to organize against this or that policy pursued by the Government or the authority. And no matter what happens in Armenia, we try to improve the investment climate and tell the investors that no matter what happens in our country, we insure you against those risks and these amendments are aimed at improving the situation.”
April 12, 2022 at 13:29