An extraordinary session of the National Assembly was convened on 15 July, 2021 on the initiative of the Government. One of the agenda items consisting of only 4 issues was the Draft Law on making Changes in the Law “On the Remuneration of Persons holding Public Office and Public Service Positions” The draft was adopted in the first and second readings, it was authored by the deputies of the seventh convocation of the National Assembly.

According to the draft, it is envisaged that the expenses related to the deputy activity of the deputies of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia, which was accepted in the public as “petty cash” of the deputy, shall be set at 250,000 AMD per month for each deputy instead of the current 50,000 AMD.

According to the draft, the amendment will enter into force on the day of the opening of the second session of the next convocation of the National Assembly.

Moreover, the draft decision on the special procedure of discussion of the agenda issues of the RA NA convened on 15 July, 2021 provides to organize the discussion in the second reading of the agenda issues of the RA NA special session convened on 15 July, 2021 on the initiative of the RA Government within 24 hours after their adoption in the first reading. Set three hours for submitting written proposals on the drafts and the conclusion of the head committee.

It should be added that in the evening of 15 July, the above-mentioned draft was fully adopted by the RA National Assembly in the second reading, the necessity of which was not even presented to the public. Moreover, the decision of the government to come up with such an initiative also lacks a reasoning part and there is no justification as to why there was an urgent need to convene an extraordinary session in the last days of the seventh convocation of the National Assembly.

The setting of such deadlines, including the setting of only three hours for the submission of a proposal by the head committee, indicates that this draft is vital for the ruling political force, as it does not regulate the provisions of Armenia’s security, defense and foreign relations, it is not aimed at establishing social guarantees and protecting the rights of such socially vulnerable groups as pensioners, soldiers disabled as a result of the Artsakh war, homeless and forcibly displaced persons. 

As a result of the aforesaid, the Governing Board of the CSO Anti-Corruption Coalition of Armenia has reasonable doubts that this draft and the urgent steps to adopt it have one objective, which is: the ruling political force, through the deputies of the “My Step” faction of the 7th convocation of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia, has decided to use the mandates for the last time to serve personal and group interests illegally, ensuring another opportunity for financial stability of future partners, which contains corruption risks.

We also remind the RA NA deputies that by the force of the representation mandate defined by Article 94 of the RA Constitution, “the deputies shall represent the whole people, shall not be bound by imperative mandate, shall be guided by their conscience and convictions”, therefore, the MP does not need “petty cash” for meetings with “his constituents” at all.

If the draft had not been fully adopted by the RA NA deputies in the second reading today with such zealous urgency, the CSO Anti-Corruption Coalition of Armenia would have urged the RA NA deputies to deal with such urgency and devotion with the challenges facing Armenia, including ensuring the security of Armenia and the physical security of its citizens, introducing a flexible system of protection and social guarantees for the rights of soldiers who acquired various degrees of disability and forcibly displaced persons as a result of the Second Artsakh War.

However, the only option left available for the CSO Anti-Corruption Coalition of Armenia to do is to call on the President of the Republic of Armenia to be prudent and refrain to sign the law amending the Law on the Remuneration of Persons holding Public Office and Public Service Positions”, which contains corruption risks. 

July 15, 2021

Governing Board of the CSO Anti-Corruption Coalition of Armenia