Ara Zohrabian: Advocates will not pay 60,000 dram state duty

The bill on amendments and additions to the Law on Advocacy and the bill on additions to the Law on State Duty will be withdrawn by Armenian Justice Ministry, the chairman of the Chamber of Advocates of Armenia Ara Zohrabian told the correspondent of Aysor.am, adding that it was the result of the united struggle of advocates and a constructive approach of Justice Ministry.

“I am glad that advocates united and organized a flashmob. I want to thank advocates and Justice Ministry, in particular Minister Hrayr Tovmasian, as well as the respective structures for their work and constructive discussions”, he said.

We would remind you that the abovementioned bills submitted by Justice Ministry envisage a new procedure of keeping the state register of advocates. Advocates will have to pay an annual state duty of 60,000 drams for being included in the register.

The Chamber of Advocates of Armenia opposed the legislative initiatives of Justice Ministry. Led by the Chamber’s chairman Ara Zohrabian, advocates staged a flashmob against the bills.

The Chamber also filed a complaint to the Armenian ombudsman in connection with the bill drafted by Justice Minister Hrayr Tovmasian.

The Ombudsman Office examined the bill and issued a statement saying that first of all it is problematic that Justice Ministry interferes in independent activities of advocates, undertaking the function of keeping the register of advocates, in connection with which an additional payment was set.

“In addition, we consider as unacceptable the argument that it is planned to use the payments levied on advocates to maintain the Public Defender Office as its maintenance is positive responsibility of the state. So, based on the aforesaid, the ombudsman proposed that the minister should review the bill on amendments and additions to the Law on Advocacy and the bill on additions to the Law on State Duty and to introduce them after discussions with interested parties, taking comments into account,” the Ombudsman Office statement says.