YEREVAN, MARCH 16, NOYAN TAPAN. 69 issues, including 10 international agreements presented by Armenian president for ratification, are on the agenda of the National Assembly's plenary session that started on March 16. After approving the agenda, the parliament passed in first reading two bills and a legislative package discussed at the previous 4-day session. The bill and the package envisage amendments and additions to a number of laws. The bill on land tax concessions submitted by deputies of "RPA" faction was passed in second reading and completely. It will apply to natural persons with the liability to pay land tax on agricultural lands in the administrative territory of a community as of December 31, 2008. In particular, those who will pay the calculated sum of the tax (without the calculated fine) for the indicated period by October 1, 2009 will be exempt from these fines. The vote on the package of amendments and additions to the Law on the Freedom of Conscience and Religious Organizations and to the RA Criminal Code (the package was discussed in first reading) was postponed again. As NT correspondent was informed by the co-author and main speaker of the legislative inititaive, chairman of the NA Standing Committee on Science, Education, Culture, Youth and Sport Issues, member of "RPA" faction Armen Ashotian, the package will be put to the vote after an expert conclusion of the CE Venice Commission is received.

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