At the Government session on 3 October, the Executive approved the RA Anti-Corruption Strategy and its Implementation Action Plan 2019-2022.
The RA Justice Minister Rustam Badasyan presented the decision to the executive members.
He noted that the draft decision was developed as a result of work with civil society organizations, including discussions in the regions.
Some objections to the creation of the Anti-Corruption Committee were presented by David Ananyan, Chairman of the State Revenue Service and Eduard Martirosyan, Acting Director of the National Security Service.
Minister Rustam Badasyan mentioned what is envisaged by the presented draft.
It is envisaged to create a separate model of the anti-corruption body, in the form of Corruption Prevention Commission and the Anti-Corruption Committee, creating the most effective and flexible cooperation mechanisms for the latter. The law enforcement system is fully revised to make it more specialized, merit-based, and effective in the future. In particular, it is envisaged to create in 2021, a unified body with the authority to detect and investigate corruption offenses, called the “Anti-Corruption Committee”.
From the point of view of ensuring the stability of the anti-corruption institutional system, the draft also envisages the establishment of a specialized subdivision in charge of investigating corruption cases within the Prosecutor General’s Office, and at the same time ensuring the specialization of prosecutors for the confiscation of illicitly acquired property. From the standpoint of the whole picture, the establishment of a specialized anti-corruption court is also important.
The main directions of the anti-corruption strategy are:
- Prevention of corruption,
- Detection of corruption crimes,
- Anti-corruption education and awareness.
The draft also envisages:
Completely reform the declaration system, including by expanding the scope of declaring persons and their family members, expanding the list of data to be published, reviewing the contents of the declaration, actually establishing and operating a unified declaration system for property, income, expenses and interests.
The expansion of the scope of the declarants and their family members is conditioned by the imperative to move on to universal declaration system in the future. In the framework of the revision of the content of the declaration the threshold of precious property will be reduced, which is 8 million AMD, the requirement to declare the property actually used, the types of borrowings and income will be clarified, a cost reporting system will be introduced.
In order to increase the efficiency of the declaration analysis process, it is recommended to establish a Situational Declaration Institute.
The draft provides for clear structures aimed at simplifying administration, ensuring good governance in the public administration system, and reducing corruption risks.
From the point of view of detecting corruption crimes, one of the priorities will be the establishment and implementation of effective mechanisms for confiscation of illicitly originating property, ensuring their compliance with international standards. Defining the list of corruption offenses by law, developing and adopting a case investigation methodology.
And, as a logical continuation of the above, the inclusion of anti-corruption education in the education system, as well as the development and implementation of anti-corruption awareness-raising programs for the citizens, as well as the implementation of coordinated anti-corruption awareness programs, is of utmost importance.
The draft also defines the monitoring system and financial evaluation of the strategy.
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