When entering Yerevan`s “Ajapnyak” Notary Office of the RA Ministry of Justice the citizens suggested to pay attention to the desolate walls and bad conditions of the rooms, while the image was different in terms of the quality of services. Through conversations with around dozen of citizens it became known that the quality of services is just the contrary of the desolate room conditions, and the citizens informed that they were satisfied with the quality of services.
We spoke with the notary of “Ajapnyak”, Roza Arakelyan about the profession of notary, the bad conditions of the notary office and the quality of services. Details in the regular interview of the project “Notaries of Armenia”.
-Mrs Arakelyan, You graduated from the YSU Department of Law, in the Soviet times.
– Yes, in 1981.
– I had spoke with notaries of Your generation, who mentioned that the profession of notary was not, so-called, “fashionable”. Do You agree with this opinion and why did You decide to become a notary?
– In 1981 when I was graduating from the University, not everyone could freely get a diploma and choose their workplace, the University made the appointment on its own initiative, and by the way, the appointment was made in the places where there was a vacancy. Based on my characteristics and my nature, I wanted to be a lawyer or advocate in some organization, as the sedentary job was not for me. Nevertheless, after my university graduation I was sent to the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Justice, where I was offered a job of a notary in the region of Aragats, I naturally agreed.
-Did You regret?
– No, I love my job.
– But it is sedentary.
– Yes, but I love it, as I value more that one can be helpful to the society, I feel very good when citizens are satisfied with the service. I haven`t regretted at all.
– Is the profession of notary “fashionable” now?
– Maybe I won`t use the word “fashionable”, but it is a serious profession. You have to be skillful in this job, as the requirements have totally changed, in the Soviet times little property belonged to the citizens, so the workload of notaries was small, and now the civil relations and the workload have changed, besides the requirements for the job of notary have increased. Anyways, there are many people willing to take the job of a notary nowadays. Additionally, this is also a respectful job, we receive the respect of citizens every day, and certainly, getting a rejection people get angry as well. Nevertheless, they generally understand that the notary cannot do anything against the law, and the rejection is lawful.
– The electronic notary system functioning online and with the one-window principle is a novelty in the notary service sphere. What has it changed in Your activities and how much has it increased the quality of the services provided to the citizens?
– Both the work of ours and that of citizens has become easier. Before we were asking citizens to bring documents from various institutions, and now we can get some part of the documents through the electronic system. Surely, he system is not fully functioning yet, not entire information is available to us yet, but with the time this issue will be also resolved.
– What are the issues with which citizens mainly apply to notary, which ones prevail?
-The majority of the issues related to the inheritance issues. Through the mass media we informed citizens to apply to the notary with inheritance issues within 6 months after the death of the deceased, so that no terms of heritage are missed and future complications are prevented for citizens. There is a progress in this regard. Besides, citizens apply with the issues of real estate, trust deeds, agreements and signatures.
– Does the job of notary allow to ensure a better life for oneself and family?
– We have notary offices and notaries who can`t even keep the office, especially in the regions, as the number of contracts is low. Notaries working in the rural areas receive less money to ensure the better life for their families. In the capital it is more or less enough to have a decent life for oneself.
– You are also Head of the Committee on the Joint practice and methodological issues. What are the functions of that Committee?
– The Committee has a one-year history, it studies the notary practice, raises controversial issues. For example, there is a gap in the law and a gap in practice. The jurisprudence is an elastic concept, so we work for the Committee to raise the gaps in the legal field, and gaps do exist, and to make a joint decision.
-What issues were raised during the last meeting of the Committee and what solutions were given to those?
-We have a Committee meeting today, it refers to the issues of agreements on apartment blocks. We`ll discuss the law so that we have samples of contracts and acts.
– Various people visit You. What is the approach You apply while communicating with them?
– Years experience turns notary into a psychologist, even from a glance you can see that the person has problems, and to raise that issue you naturally have to explain everything mildly and calmly and with the letter of law. In the end angry man thanks and leaves.
Interview by Gevorg Tosunyan
Photos by Aleksander Sargsyan
Author of the idea: Karen Zadoyan
Read also:
Why did the Notary Public shed Tears when entered the Office for the First Time?
“Notary has more Missions than just Stamping”, Marine Manukyan
