Parliament approves preventative government intervention in energy operator management

Parliament adopted at second reading the legislative amendments seeking to authorize preventative government intervention in the energy sector.

65 MPs voted in favor, 27 voted against the bill drafted by the ruling Civil Contract party.

The bill was presented shortly after Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan announced that the government must swiftly assume control of the Electric Networks of Armenia (ENA), the national electric utility. Pashinyan accused the company of mismanagement which had nearly triggered an energy crisis in the country.  ENA executives have denied the accusations.

The amendments seek to give the government the tools to intervene in emergency scenarios to prevent risks. 

The Prime Minister had also suggested that ENA could go public in the future.