(Mediamax) - Ago Monitoring Group of the Council of Europe Ministers Committee presented the proposals to the Armenian government on overcoming the serious internal political situation, formed as a result of March 1 events.
As the Head of the Delegation, Swedish Ambassador to CoE Per Sjogren stated at a news conference in Yerevan today, the given proposals "will help to return the country to a democratic path".
According to him, the CoE delegation visited the "Center" criminal-executive establishment, where it got familiar with the conditions in which the "political prisoners" are kept.
Ambassador Per Sjogren stated that the first one out of the proposals, made by Ago Monitoring Group of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe is to secure meetings of the prisoners with their families and close people.
Secondly, the Head of the delegation stated, the Ago Group supports the proposal of other international organizations, which urge "to free the political prisoners".
"We asked the General Prosecutor of Armenia and the Minister of Foreign Affairs to inform us on the process of freeing the 102 political prisoners, and this is the third proposal of the Ago Group", Per Sjogren stated.
The next, fourth item of the document is the realization of a national investigation of March 1-2 events, which will enjoy the confidence of wide layers of the society.
The Head of the delegation stated that the CoE regrets that the amendments to the law "On realization of rallies, processions and demonstrations" were approved without consultation with the experts of the Council of Europe, and at present the Venice Commission is preparing a package of recommendations for the Armenian government.
Per Sjogren expressed hope that the Armenian leadership will be consequent in fulfilling the given recommendations of the European experts, which is the fifth item of proposals of the Ago Group.
In conclusion Per Sjogren stated that the CoE proposes to start a national dialogue with all the political forces without any preconditions, which should be initiated at the early stage of development of events.
The Head of Ago Group noted that "Armenia is an important state for Europe, one should be future-oriented and the agenda should have this very context".
The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia Vartan Oskanian in his turn informed that he had got acquainted with the proposals of Ago Group during today's meeting with the members of the delegation, and believes that they are directed to improve the situation in Armenia.
Per Sjogren stated that the document with the proposals will also be presented to the Prime Minister Serzh Sarkisian, who already gave his preliminary consent to realize the recommendations of the Council of Europe.