YEREVAN, AUGUST 17, NOYAN TAPAN. At the August 16 sitting, the Armenian government made amendments in the RA government's Decision No 1560-N on Approval of Technical Regulations on Meat and Meat Products of October 19, 2006, which is in particular conditioned by the necessity to bring the safety indices prescribed by the regulations into line with sanitary and epidemiologic rules and norms of the Hygienic Requirements to the Safety of Food Raw Material and Foodstuffs and to the Food Value. The decision also proceeds from the necessity to make amendments, which are conditioned by the procedure of certifying the conformity and are in compliance with legislative requirements of the decision's provisions. In accordance with the RA Water Code and the RA Law on the National Water Program, the government decided to appoint the RA ministry of agriculture as the authorized state governance body in charge of organization and implementation of measures aimed at preventing and eliminating the harmful impact of river water. The minister of agriculture was instructed to submit, within three months, a proposal to the RA government regarding measures to ensure the use of powers stipulated by the decision. The RA ministers of territorial governance, urban development and environmental protection, and the chairman of the State Committee of the Real Estate Cadastre adjunct to the RA government were instructed to present, within 15 days, the necessary information to the RA minister of agriculture and to assist with the work on development of the program on protection of settlements, areas of economic value and citizens' property from the risk of river flooding. By making redistribution in the 2007 state budget of the RA and some amendments in the RA government's decision No 1851-N of December 21, 2006, the government allocated 40.2 mln drams (about $120 thousand) from its 2007 reserve fund to the Syunik regional administration with the aim of financing the construction of buildings for families that live in wooden houses in the village of Lernadzor (Syunik region). At the siiting, the government approved the Program of Geological Prospecting Work stipulated in the RA Law on the 2007 State Budget of the RA. According to the RA Law on International Agreements of the RA, the government approved the proposal for signing the Agreement on Free Trade between the governments of Armenia and Egypt. By another decision, amendments and additions were made, in accordance with the RA Law on Archival Activity, in the RA government's Decision No 351 on Approval of the Exemplary List of Archival Documents with Indication of Their Retention Period of March 9, 2006, which is also conditioned by the necessity to clarify the current legislation. Particularly, taking into account the fact that limitation of actions does not apply to the requests about return of deposits that depositors file to banks. These amendments and additions have also been made due to the fact that the currently prescribed period of keeping bank documents about deposits is not sufficient in case of demanding these deposits. The governrment approved the bill on making an amendment to the RA Law on State Registration of Property Rights, which will be submitted to the National Assembly. Adoption of the bill is conditioned by the necessity to specify the provision on period of state registration of rights, which is stipulated by the indicated law. In particular, it is proposed calculating the period for presenting the rights arising from property-related transactions for state registration not from the day of signing the transaction but from the day of their being certified by the notary. In accordance with the RA Law on State Administrative Institutions, the government made amendments in the RA government's decision No 1917-N of Novemeber 28, 2002. The adoption of this decision is conditioned, in particular, by the necessity to bring the decision's provision into line with requirements of the RA Judicial Code, the RA Law on Bringing the RA Judicial Code into Force and the RA Law on Court Service. The decision also envisages creating an Information and PR Unit at the RA Ministry of Justice. In accordance with the RA Law on Legal Acts, the government made an amendment to the RA government's Decision No 1112-N on Approval of the Order of Transferring Students from One Higher Educational Institution to Another of July 14, 2005, based on which such a transfer may be done without permission of the RA minister of education and science. The decision will increase autonomy of higher educational institutions and allow to make efficient and independent decisions on transfer of students from one higher educational institution to another. In accordance with the RA Law on State Administrative Institutions, the government decided to take the area (covering 286 square meters and with the balance sheet cost of 1,269,268 drams) on the 4th floor of the building at 25 Pushkin Street (Yerevan) belonging to the Staff of Rescue Service of Armenia state administrative institution of the RA Ministry of Territorial Governance and to transfer this area to the Staff of the RA Ministry of Territorial Governance state administrative institution. Pursuant to Article 53 Part 4 of the RA Law on Rules of Procedure of the RA National Assembly, the government made a decision to submit to the RA National Assembly the amended version of the package consisting of the bill on making amendments and additions to the RA Law on Circulation of Poisonous Substances and Explosive Suvstances and Devices, the bill on making amendments and additions to the RA law on State Duty and the bill on making amendments to the RA Law on Licensing. By another decision, the government approved the governmenal conclusions about several bills submitted on deputies's initiative - these conclusions will be presented to the RA NA. The government approved the temporary schemes of using the lands of the Vagharshapat city community (Armavir region) and the Hankavan rural community (Kotayk region). Decision were made to change the categories of these lands, as well as of lands in the Nor Geghi rural community of Kotayk region. NT was informed from the RA Government Information and PR Department that in accordance with the RA Law on Civil Service, the government made a decision to appoint Armen Shahnazarian the head of the staff of the RA Ministry of Finance and Economy.

---