In establishing the Anti-Corruption Committee, it is important to create and ensure independence at both the legislative and the operational, functional levels. About this, today, February 1, Lawyer Artyom Mesropyan, Coordinator of the CSOs Development Programs at the Armenian Lawyers’ Association, said during a public discussion on the topic “An Anti-Corruption Committee is established in Armenia: Problems of Formation of the Structure.”
“Unlike the Corruption Prevention Commission, when there was no consensus related to its formation process, including that among the civil society organizations as well, considering the fact that the Anti-Corruption Committee was formed in a non-competitive manner: we welcome that hearing to both the recommendations of the international organizations, our organization and the CSO Anti-Corruption Coalition of Armenia, this time the law stated that the committee chairman will be selected by competition. We welcome that the Competition Board will be formed through an inclusive process; involving civil society structures, from an independent Human Rights Defender, and representatives of various branches of the Government,” Artyom Mesropyan said.
The discussion was organized by the Union of Informed Citizens.
The Ministry of Justice has submitted to the public discussion the draft law on establishing an Anti-Corruption Committee.
It is noted that the purpose of the establishment of this body is to ensure the effectiveness of anti-corruption actions. This specialized body will have the function of detecting corruption offenses and guaranteeing independence.
The justification for the creation of a new body states that preliminary investigations of the criminal cases in Armenia are currently being investigated by the investigators of the Investigative Committee, Special Investigation Service, National Security, Tax and Customs authorities. That is, the investigation of corruption offenses is not carried out by one body, whereas the effectiveness of the investigation of corruption offenses can only be guaranteed when that function is entrusted to one specialized body, thereby ensuring the organization of a single standard examination.
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