Acting Justice Minister Artur Hovannisian on Thursday introduced to the Government for approval a package of draft laws to make amendments in Armenia’s law on ‘Body On Corruption Prevention Issues” and related laws.
According to the press service of the Ministry of Justice, in presenting the package Hovannisian said that on the basis of the Ethics Commission for High-Ranking Officials it is planned to create a corruption prevention body that will implement corruption prevention, as part of which it will deal with ethics, conflict of interests, incompatibility requirements, other restrictions applicable to high-ranking officials and civil servants, carry out functions related to assets, income and interests systems, educational activities and raising public awareness.
“The body on corruption prevention will be endowed with the necessary set of tools and levers, and one of the major elements of this is the ability to impose sanctions. Besides, in case of breach of the declaration requirements the body will immediately impose sanctions,” the acting minister said.
In 2015, then Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamian initiated the establishment of the Anti-Corruption Council, which was headed by the head of the government.
According to human rights activists, however, that Council, just like similar structures acting in Armenia before, was not purposeful in its activities and pursued more demonstrative goals. As proof of that argument, observers point out that that the Council did not inadequately respond to corruption cases reported by media.
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