Meetings with the Group of States against Corruption in the RA National Assembly are Held

The members of the RA NA PAP, ANC, Rule of Law and ARF Factions Stepan Margaryan, Mikayel Melkumyan, Levon Zurabyan, Hovhannes Margaryan, Levon Dokholyan and Artsvik Minasyan met with the members of the Group of States against Corruption of the Council of Europe /GRECO/ Mickael Janssen, Frank Raue, Diana Kurpniece , Dražen Jelenić and Tibor Katona, who arrived in Armenia on a working visit.

Let us inform that the CoE Group of States against Corruption of the Council of Europe /GRECO/ was created on May 1, 1999 as an open partial agreement of the CoE. At present, 49 countries are members of the Group: the CoE all member states and the USA. Armenia has joined the Group since January 20, 2004.

As the members of the group informed, through the reports of evaluation the GRECO presents the shortcomings existing in the sphere of fight against corruption and through consultation directed to the countries makes legislative, structural and recommendations on making practical amendments. During this period Armenia, as well as all member countries, three times have been assessed. In particular, this GRECO Group was created in 2012 to monitor the corruption existing among the deputies, judges and prosecutors.

The members of the NA PAP, ANC, Rule of Law and ARF Factions, highlighting the activities of the Group, presented them the corruption revelations and problems, monopolies existing in the above-mentioned spheres and clarify their approaches of fight against corruption and note the reasons which originate the corruption in those spheres.

The deputies also touched upon the RA legislation, talked about the shortcomings and election falsifications of the administration. Except the ANC representative, the deputies see the settlement of the problem by the implementation of the system changes.

The opposition MPS also talked about the constitutional changes and the anti-corruption Committee created months ago, and highlighted the complete fight and the availability of the political will.

At the meeting the participants also referred to the functions and authorities of the NA Ad-hoc Committee on Ethics: the deputies, particularly, emphasized the extension of the authorities of that Committee.

The Chairs of the RA NA Standing Committees on Foreign Relations, on State and Legal Affairs and on Protection of Human Rights and Public Affairs Artak Zakaryan, Hovhannes Sahakyan and Elinar Vardanyan met with the members of the Group of States against Corruption of the Council of Europe /GRECO/.

The members of the GRECO delegation were interested in the functions of the Committee on Ethics of the High Ranking Officials.

The Chairs of the NA Standing Committees have noted that the declaration system of the incomes, in general, is established: the officials declare their property, and it becomes accessible for the public. However, with legal respect there are certain procedures which are not completely credible. They have informed that the Committee on Ethics is divided into two parts in Armenia: there is a NA Committee on Ethics and a Commission on Ethics of High-Ranking Officials. According to them, all high ranking officials are obliged to declare their incomes, property in the Commission on Ethics of High-Ranking Officials, and with the aspect of the legislative activity, if there is collision of interests towards any law, then the deputy should declare about that. The deputies also noted that if the declaration is wrongly filled in or there are incorrect data, then one member of the Committee applies to the given high-ranking official, in order the incorrect data is filled in, if the mistake is evident, then a procedure is sued. The Chairs of the Committees also have stated that there are no distinct mechanisms on punitive measures: the Committee checks how technically that declaration is filled in and where those incomes have been originated. And the Committee has no corresponding instruments, which becomes a subject of media discussion.

During the meeting it was spoken about organizing parliamentary hearings, procedure of their implementation and results. The Chairs of the Committees have stated that subjects for considerations may be issues of most interest and concern. Hearings are open for the public: media, NGOs, representatives of professional, scientific and expertise spheres, as well as ordinary citizens, which are also the bearers of the certain law, participate in them.

Organization of discussions on draft laws submitted by the Government and government-judicial power relations were also touched upon.

The GRECO members also met with the RA NA Chief of Staff, Secretary General Hrayr Tovmasyan.

Welcoming the guests in parliament, Hrayr Tovmasyan touched upon the GRECO’s previous report, where the work done in the direction of struggle against corruption in Armenia has been positively assessed. The RA NA Chief of Staff has mentioned that in our country there is a lot to be done, however, in several areas an obvious progress is observed.

The GRECO members discussed with Hrayr Tovmasyan issues of their interest, which refer to the newly elected MPs, their remuneration, business travel allowances, etc.

Mr Tovmasyan answered in detail the GRECO members’ questions.

The RPA Faction Secretary Gagik Melikyan, Faction members Gagik Minasyan, Artak Davtyan and Naira Krapetyan also met with the delegation. The RA NA Chief of Staff, Secretary General Hrayr Tovmasyan also attended the meeting.

At the meeting the parties touched upon the mechanisms for corruption prevention efficiency, the law-enforcement bodies’ activities in this regard, gaps of the sphere. The budget office establishment for the effective management of public finances has been highlighted. The office is going to study the budgeting process, and provide unbiased information on this to the parliament, making the budgetary expenditures more accessible for the public, enhancing the efficiency of parliamentary struggle against corruption manifestations. The election processes in Armenia have been introduced, the peculiarities of forming Election Commissions, proxies’ rights. It has been noted that the last parliamentary and presidential elections were essentially improved, if compared with the previous ones, which the international observers also talked about. Mentioning that there are still works to be done in the sphere, the faction representatives have assured that the Constitutional reforms and amendments to the Electoral Code will promote the solution of the existing problems.

The parties also touched upon the activities of the NA Ad-hoc Committee on Ethics and the Commission on Ethics of High-Ranking Officials, high-ranking officials’ income statements, the organization of budgeting processes of judicial power, independence of judicial power finances and other issues.