On 2 April, the 4th focus group discussion on the management of gifts that become the property of the state and the community took place within the framework of the “Multi-Faceted OGP Action: Open Justice & Anti-Corruption Commitments” Program, program.
Representatives of the RA Ministry of Justice, the Civil Service Office of the Prime Minister’s Office, the Corruption Prevention Commission, the Ministry of High-Tech Industry, the RA Investigative Committee, the RA Anti-Corruption Committee, the RA National Assembly, the Central Electoral Commission, as well as civil society organizations attended the focus group discussion.
The participants held a discussion regarding the process of gifts considered permissible, giving gifts, and the management of gifts that become the property of the state and the community, having the aim of raising the problems and obstacles in the process and recording the latter.
During the discussion, Ms Elina Geghamyan, Aviser to the Minister of Justice of the Republic of Armenia, spoke about the existing and planned legislative regulations for the improvement of the institute of the prohibition on accepting gifts and the establishment of the body that maintains the prohibition on accepting gifts within the framework of the OGP commitment.
During the focus group discussion, the participants raised the issues regarding the localization of successful mechanisms in the international practice, the order of keeping statistics of gifts handed over to state property management. Thesituational cases encountered in practice were discussed as well.
The focus group discussion was conducted by the Armenian Lawyers’ Association in partnership with the CSO Anti-Corruption Coalition of Armenia, within the framework of the European Union-funded “Multi-Faceted OGP Action: Open Justice & Anti-Corruption Commitments” Program, which is aimed at providing assistance to the Government in the implementation of two commitments under the OGP-Armenia National Action Plan 2022-2024: Establishment of E-Justice and Register of Gifts.