RA Parliamentary Committee approves draft amendments to Law on  Population Protection in Emergency Situations

ArmInfo. During its session on March 24, the RA National Assembly Standing Committee on Defense and Security issued a positive opinion on the draft amendments to the law  on disaster risk management and population protection.

As RA Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs Armen Mkrtchyan noted in  his speech, the current law on population protection in emergency  situations, adopted in 1998, is outdated and doesn't align with   existing standards of system management and international norms. He  also emphasized that the lack of awareness within the population  protection system at all levels, especially among the public,  underscoring the importance of enhancing  awareness efforts.

The new bill, according to him, was developed with consideration of   international standards and an analysis of the recent floods in Lori  and Tavush regions in May 2024.  Mkrtchyan mentioned that the bill  will introduce a system of insurance covering death, property damage  and health issues. The bill will also establish penalties for  violations of established norms. He also emphasized the need for  compulsory insurance to be legally mandated by the government to  address the consequences of natural disasters and provide   compensation to affected parties. In this vein, he clarified that  damage from disasters can  extend  beyond individuals or specific  objects to the environment. The Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs  noted that the draft law also includes measures to mitigate natural  disaster risks, outlining specific tools for addressing this issue

Mkrtchyan pointed out that discussions were held with the management  of the Central Bank of Armenia, regarding negotiations with insurance  companies, even though they were not present. He assured that this  dialogue will persist with the participation of insurance companies,  before including this provision in the draft law.