During the regular lesson at the participants of the Anti-Corruption School for Young Leaders the participants were introduced to the system of territorial administration in Armenia and the system of local self-government, as well as the recent and ongoing administrative reforms.

Mr. Artyom Mesropyan, a legal expert of the Armenian Lawyers’ Association conducted the lesson.

The system of local self-government in Armenia was established in 1996 after the adoption of the Constitution. Local self-government elections were first held on 10 November, 1996, in accordance with the RA Law on Local Self-Government Elections.

After the constitutional reform of 2015, Chapter 9 of the Constitution sets out the regulations on local self-government that have undergone certain changes over time, correspondingly, to solve community issues on their own responsibility.

Local self-government bodies are: the head of the community and the council of elders, who are elected for a term of five years by law, on the basis of general, equal, direct electoral right, by secret ballot. The number of community council members depends on the population of the community and can be from 5 to 15 members, in Gyumri and Vanadzor communities – 33, in Yerevan – 65.

A separate reference was made on the peculiarities of local self-government in Yerevan, the current process of administrative-territorial reforms, in particular the process of community unification and the need to decentralize certain powers of public administration bodies to local self-governments.

Speaking about the current state and prospects of local democracy in Armenia, Artyom Mesropyan noted, “It should be stated that although the level of local democracy in Armenia and the level of community participation in decision-making cannot be considered satisfactory, however compared with the CIS countries, we are on a quite high level and better position. There are problems that need a systemic solution, but in general, the local self-government system in Armenia can be considered as established.”

“The Armenian Lawyers’ Association” NGO is organizing the Anti-Corruption School for Young Leaders in cooperation with the Armenian CSO Anti-Corruption Coalition.

Iravaban.net independent information website is the information partner of the Anti-Corruption School for Young Leaders.