Parliament news

SPRING SESSION STARTS

The Milli Majlis, the Azerbaijan parliament, started its spring session Friday, as speaker Murtuz Alasgarov said in his opening remarks that the parliament had passed 76 drafts, a constitution law on Ombudsman, amended 38 laws and ratified 7 international covenants in its previous session.

Reminding that February 24 will see the anniversary of the Sumgayit developments, when Azeris deported from Armenia caused disorders provoked by Armenians, the speaker proposed to include the issue into the agenda and give it a political assessment.

MPs Igbal Agazadeh and Fazail Agamali suggested that the Garabagh conflict and the Khojali genocide be tabled, but the speaker responded that the issues had always been in the parliament's limelight.

The parliamentarians made changes to the composition of some permanent commissions, ratified the agreement "On international automobile transport" signed by Azerbaijan and Latvia, the agreements between Azerbaijan and Byelorussia "On taxation principles for export and import" and "On cooperation on attestation of highly-qualified scientific and teaching personnel".

30 DRAFTS TO BE DISCUSSED

The Azerbaijan parliament is expected to discuss 30 drafts in its spring session, vice-speaker Ziyafat Asgarov told a news conference at the headquarters of the New Azerbaijan Party Friday. These are drafts on education, agricultural insurance, scientific and technical policy, corruption, TV and radio, regulations on the Milli Majlis, the Accountancy Chamber, etc.

According to Z. Asgarov, the parliament may make changes and amendments to laws on the initiative of the President, the Supreme Court and the Supreme Court of Nakhchivan.

CHINESE MPs IN BAKU

A delegation of the Assembly of Popular Representatives of Tziansi province of China visited Baku last week. Leading the delegation is deputy chairman of the Assembly's permanent committee Juan Minsin.

The Chinese delegates met with the Azeri-Chinese friendship group of the Azeri parliament and its head Ali Ahmadov Friday. The parties centered on the opportunities of expanding bilateral political, inter-parliamentary, economic and cultural contacts.

The visit was underway till February 4.

DRAFT ON ENVIRONMENTAL DATA PASSED

The parliament passed the draft law "On obtaining environmental information" in the second reading Tuesday. During the debates, MP Gulamhussein Aliyev proposed to notify the population at least an hour before dangerous phenomena, while MP Rizvan Jabiyev suggested that the term "environment" be replaced by "ecology".

The draft was adopted with the proposed amendments on board.

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Compiled by Saba Agayeva

Azernews Staff Writer