Ms Astghik Mazmanyan has been appointed notary of Shengavit notary office of Yerevan for eight years already. Before that she was engaged in various activities. At the beginning of her student years, she was a distributor, then she became an inspector at the Human Resources Department at HAYGAS Company and ultimately achieved her goal by holding a notary office. According to her, criticism is very important in her work, and the biggest critic is her husband who is a judges, and his most important advice is to be careful. Iravaban.net talked to Astghik Mazmanyan within the framework of the series “The Notaries of Armenia”.
– Mrs. Mazmanyan, when I was studying your biography while preparing for the interview, my attention was drawn to the fact that you worked as a distributor at “Garun” Garment Factory. What was the significance of this work experience in your life?
– I was 18 at that time. Later, when I was a student I worked as well, and could not imagine myself without it. But I was striving to become a notary and passed a certain way to achieve it.
– Years ago when you were assigned to the position of notary you swore. Do you remember your feelings that had you at that time?
– I was very excited. So, excited as I was when I entered the university. It was very important for me as a child’s birth. I definitely wanted to work as a notary. This was the place I was looking for.
– Your sister works in the legal field as well, but she is a judge. (Gayane Mazmanyan is a Judge of the Yerevan Court of General Jurisdiction). How did it happen that you both chose the same area?
– “My father is a notary. We love this job – we’ve seen it. My husband is also a lawyer. I have three children, who are future lawyers and they have made that decision; we have not guided them.
– Mrs. Mazmanyan, why is this field interesting for you?
– I love my job very much and I cannot imagine myself anywhere else. It’s a great pleasure for me to communicate with citizens. And the most interesting is the diversity of people’s mentality. One is peaceful, the other is aggressive. But when these people leave my office and they are pleased, it is just the most important thing for me.
– So a notary should be a psychologist as well, who can work with different people.
– It is compulsory, I think that’s a must. If a person has self-control, it is very important. You have to understand that if a person comes and applies to the notary, then he had something to worry about. The notary should first be a good psychologist, then a lawyer who can help people and direct the person in the right way so that the latter would understand that he came and get an exhaustive reply.
– If you try to describe your work in three words, which are those words?
– It is very difficult to say three words. First of all, diligence, ability to understand people and fairness.
– What would you change in the RA Law on Notarial System? Are there articles you do not agree with?
– The time shows what should be changed in the law and how. The only point I would like to add is that a person should work as long as he would like to work, and there is no age limit.
– When I was reading about the rules of notarial ethics, I paid attention to the fact that a notary may be encouraged and vice versa may be subject to certain disciplinary penalties for the conducted work. Have you ever faced such practice?
-I have not had any of penalties. And in terms of encouragement, I have a certificate of participation in various seminars. We regularly hold conferences with our foreign colleagues and exchange experiences. For example, there was a very interesting conversation with the Germans. Their notary is a much more important body than in Armenia. It was surprising for them that the document submitted by a notary could be challenged. I would be good if we have the same practice here in Armenia.
– Were there case in your practice when a citizen submitted false power of attorney or certificates?
– I discovered two false powers of attorney during the deal. I reported the cases, and investigation was launched. And currently there is a criminal case filed as a result of a false power of attorney that I detected.
– How do you assess the level of citizens’ awareness about the procedures of applying to the notary office?
– Citizens’ awareness is not high. They are not able to defend their interests because they are not aware of the law and in most cases you cannot blame them either. The level of awareness has risen over the years. Sometimes they come and say, we have read and that this should be like this. I am really glad with this fact.
– Media, addresses the representatives of the legal field in the public interests as well. They have also refereed to your husband. Do you follow these publications? Are they correct in your opinion?
– There are cases that there is no percentage of truth at all. There are ridiculous articles that do not have anything to do with reality. I do not care, it does not matter to me because sometimes there are topics that you are surprised how such things could be written. I respect journalists, but there are people who write for PR. There are people who are offended and simply declare war, and there are also people who simply laugh and forget.
– There are also publications related to the declaration on the property worth to millions of the representatives of this area. Iravaban.net has referred to this , as well, and the name of your husband the judge of the Administrative Court Argishti Ghazaryan is in this list as well. Can this be considered as the fact of existence of corruption in the field?
– I do not think that this is a matter of corruption in the field. There are people who have had much property before becoming a judge, and had not declared anything before that. It is very unpleasant that they do not check the sources and as soon as the person becomes a judge, they say they have this or that.
– Do you think that the legal sphere in Armenia is not so corrupted?
– I would not say it is corrupted. Corruption is everywhere, and it is conditioned more by a human type. If someone has done something, you should not blame the whole system for that.
– Mrs. Mazmanyan, even a person who does not work in the legal field understands to some extent that work in this field is complex and is responsible. What would you advice the individuals who make the first steps in this area.
-I should be arrogant. I would not like to generalize, but when they get a post at a young age, sometimes they become arrogant, but you should understand that you should overcome the difficulties of the life with honor and go forward.
Interview: Sona Vardanyan
Photos by Aleksander Sargsyan
Author of the idea: Karen Zadoyan
