On 10 July, the Draft Anti-Corruption Strategy of the Republic of Armenia and its Implementation Action Plan for 2019-2022 and the Judicial Strategic Programs and their Conceptual Provisions were discussed at the RA Ministry of Justice.
Mr. Rustam Badasyan, Minister of Justice of the Republic of Armenia, Ms Kristine Grigoryan, Deputy Minister, Mr. Karen Zadoyan, President of the Armenian Lawyers’ Association, Ms Syuzanna Soghomonyan, Anti-Corruption Expert/Member of the ALA Board, Mr. Arkadi Sahakyan, Chairman of the Governing Board of the CSO Anti-Corruption Coalition, Mr. Gevorg Grigoryan, Member of the Governing Board, as well as representatives of the Ministry and other CSOs attended the discussion
The minister expressed gratitude to the partner organizations for accepting the invitation, highlighting the format of the meetings and assured, that they will be continued.
During the meeting Mr. Rustam Badasyan presented in two important areas planned for in-depth reforms directed to specification of the functions of the Anti-Corruption Court and the Anti-Corruption Commission, improvement of the institute of declaration of property, income and revenues of the officials, initiation of disciplinary proceedings against judges, the grounds for self withdrawal of judges, specification of the bodies authorized to institute disciplinary proceedings against judges, the institute for confiscation of property of illicit origin, as well as the need to introduce the e-justice system.
Mr. Karen Zadoyan, President of the Armenian Lawyers’ Association NGO, attached importance to the consensual solution of the issue related to the choice of the new anti-corruption body and noted that Armenia has no right to undermine the actions planned by the anti-corruption strategy. Karen Zadoyan expressed concern related to the recently circulated draft on the Corruption Prevention Commission. In response to this the Minister said that it was not a final document. In addition, Karen Zadoyan noted that in the case of the anti-corruption body, it is important to first discuss with all the actors and resolve the question of the constitutional independence of the anti-corruption institutional system and then to determine the specific model of the anti-corruption body.
Mr. Arkadi Sahakyan, Chairman of the Governing Board of the CSO Anti-Corruption Coalition, welcomed the initiation of the meeting and said that the Coalition is ready to provide expert support for the development of the final document of the anti-corruption and judicial sector.
Ms Syuzanna Soghomonyan, Expert/Lawyer at the Armenian Lawyers’ Association was interested whether it was decided which body will be involved in the issue of management of the stolen assets. She also raised the issue whether the Draft Law “On Making Amendments and Addenda to the RA Law on Corruption Prevention Commission” had passed anti-corruption expertise in the Ministry of Justice or, ultimately, who the author of the draft was; Member of Parliament Mirzoyan or the working group? In response, Deputy Minister of Justice Kristine Grigoryan said that the document was elaborated out not by MP A. Mirzoyan and not the working group, and in addition the draft has not been submitted for anti-corruption expertise.
Photo from the website of the Ministry of Justice