Syuzanna Soghomonyan, Lawyer/Programs Coordinator of the “Armenian Lawyers’ Association” NGO, and Artyom Mesropyan, Lawyer/CSO Development Programs Coordinator, participated in the EaP CSF Armenia National Platform Conference on 29 January.
During the conference, EaP CSF Armenia National Coordinator Lusine Hakobyan first introduced the main changes and additions to the EaP CSF Organizational Principles, the necessity of which is in line with the need to harmonize the organizational principles of the ANP with the amendments to the EaP CSF Charter adopted in December 2019. Further, discussions were held on some of the recommendations made by NGOs. At the same time, on the initiative of the ALA, the Platform members undertook a number of substantive and extensive recommendations made by other NGOs, including those presented by the ALA. Those, which would require a longer discussion, and would necessitate more extensive changes to the ANP statutes, were decided to discuss after the elections of the ANP delegates. As a result, the amendments and supplements to the ANP Charter were approved by the ANP Conference.
The next issue on the agenda was the process of negotiations on the formation of the CEPA Civil Society Platform and the agreement that the NGOs would be represented by 4 representatives. After which based on the result of the voting the NAP Conference gave its consent so that negotiators on behalf of ANP continue to negotiate with other stakeholders in the platform being represented in a similar ratio of NGOs.
At the end of the conference, separate meetings of the ANP Working Groups were held.