Saturated 2 months of study, visits to about 2 dozen state bodies, master classes with leading experts in the field. On 15 August, the training course of the students of the 9th stream of the Anti-Corruption School for Young Leaders ended. Training in the school was carried out in 5 stages: online, master classes and practical skills, public awareness, advanced and final stages.
“This school has given you 4 important groups of knowledge and skills. The first large group is anti-corruption, the 2nd is integrity, the 3rd is the pillars of national identity and the 4th is the self-development of a person,” Mr. Karen Zadoyan, President of the Armenian Lawyers’ Association says.
The school quriculla is unique. Such depth of knowledge is not given in any university or school. In addition to the master classes, the students had exclusive meetings with His Holiness Catholicos of All Armenians, the Presidents of the Anti-Corruption Committee and the Corruption Prevention Commission, judges of the Constitutional and Cassation Courts, the Rector of the Polytechnic University, the Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sports.
“It’s no secret that the most important tool in the fight against corruption is education, with which we equip our children to behave correctly in appropriate situations,” Ms Zhanna Andreasyan, RA Minister of ESCS said during the meeting with the audience.
The students of the school were also accepted in the Government, Ministry of Justice, Finance Ministry, the Chamber of Advocates, Academy of Advocates, Investigative Committee, Prosecutor General’s Office, Central Bank, Human Rights Defender and Civil Service Offices.
Astghik Babayan from Artsakh, who could not come to Yerevan for well-known reasons, also got the opportunity to participate in the meetings.
“Thank you for the active and meaningful discussion. Although the issues of the anti-corruption sphere do not occupy a large volume within the framework of our mandate, such discussions are very important from the point of view of the formation of the general environment and functions”, Ms Anahit Manasyan, RA Ombudsman said during the meeting with the audience.
Ms Haykuhi Harutyunyan, CPC Chairwoman received the students in the Corruption Prevention Commission. She presented to the participants of the school the main functions of the Commission and the problems that the body faced.
The students had a memorable meeting in the Investigative Committee as well.
“I thank the Armenian Association of Lawyers, the school and the students for organizing and participating in this course. The existence of this school, the involvement of the participants has an important role and significance in the prevention of corruption,” said Deputy Chairman of the Investigative Committee Mr. Arsen Ayvazyan said during the meeting.
The students of the Anti-Corruption School also met with Mr. Sasun Khachatryan, the Chairman of the Anti-Corruption Committee, with whom they
talked about issues related to corruption, its types and causes, existing corruption risks in various fields, and the modern mechanisms of their prevention and fight.
The participants were also received in the Anti-Corruption Chamber of the Court of Cassation. Ms Liza Grigoryan and Mr. Gevorg Gyozalyan, judges of the Civil Cases Examination of the Anti-Corruption Chamber of the Court, who answered the students’ questions.
“We are glad that the Armenian Lawyers’ Association manages to continuously develop and implement such programs in the field of fighting corruption,” the judges noted.
Mr. Edgar Arsenyan, Acting Head of The Department of Supervision over Legality of Pre-trial Proceedings in the RA Anti-Corruption Committee of the Prosecutor General’s Office received them at the Prosecutor General’s Office. He presented to the students the role of the Prosecutor General’s Office in the fight against corruption, the priorities and the problems that the body faces. Edgar Arsenyan separately emphasized the work done by the Anti-Corruption Committee in this direction.
Judge Vahe Grigoryan received the listeners at the Constitutional Court. The listeners asked the judge questions about the need to make changes to the Constitution, as well as the timing of the publication of the decision on the conformity or non-conformity of the Law “On Confiscation of Property of Illegal Origin” with the Constitution.
Vice President of the Constitutional Court “There are 3 values that are absolutely recorded in the Constitution and protection of which is our daily work. This court was created to protect those values. They are: democracy, human rights and freedoms and the rule of law,” Mr. Vahe Grigoryan, the Vice President of the Constitutional Court said.
The students also visited one of the military units of the Ministry of Defense.
“Within the framework of this school, you had the opportunity to meet unreachable people,” Mr. Areg Tadevosyan, President of “Intercultural Research and Development” NGO said.
The professionals in their fields delivered lectures to the students. ALA President Karen Zadoyan, Anti-Corruption Experts Syuzanna Soghomyan and Marat Atovmyan, President of “Digital Armenia” organization Suren Krmoyan, members of the Governing Board of CSO Anti-Corruption Coalitionof Armenia Hakob Avagyan, Movses Aristakesyan and Arkadi Sahakyan, Editor of the specialized website Iravaban.net Alisa Chilingaryan.
Lusine Hakobyan and Hovsep Khurshudyan spoke about RA-EU relations, existing agreements and Eastern Partnership.
Details in the video.
