The National Assembly of Armenia approved the bill on the national anthem of Armenia on December 25 after the third reading. There were 71 in favor, 6 against and 6 neutral. The approved bill will be in effect the 10th day after the confirmation of the Armenian president, which means that Armenia will welcome the New Year without a national anthem. Based on the bill, it’s stated that the current hymn-“Mer Hayrenik” (Our Homeland), is in effect “until the law defines the text of the new anthem and the music”. During the parliamentary session on Monday, Chairman of the National Assembly Tigran Torosyan assured that “the president of Armenia would confirm the bill, validate it and we will then have an anthem. There is no document that prohibits playing the current national anthem on December 31 a couple of minutes before the New Year.” So, does this mean that there will be a pardon for the violation of the law? “It’s not stated anywhere that, for example, the national anthem of Armenia can’t be heard at a certain hour on December 31st on television, especially “Mer Hayrenik”. Why not?” said Tigran Torosyan.
