The Government of the Republic of Armenia

Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan chaired today a regular meeting of the Anticorruption Council, which was attended by political forces, civil society and international organizations.

First, the Minister of Justice Arpine Hovhannisyan and "Armenian Lawyers Association" NGO Karen Zadoyan presented the results of a joint working group within the framework of the institutional system and the world experience similar study in different countries in the fight against corruption. The group included representatives of the Ministry of Justice as well as civil society organizations, including representatives of civil society organizations (CSOs) anti-corruption coalition. Council members discussed in detail in the report represented an attempt to create an international anti-corruption bodies and a number of fundamental principles of international documents aimed at ensuring the independence and effectiveness of anti-corruption bodies.

It was noted that the results of the study, the working group proposes two options: to create an independent anticorruption body of the universal, which will include three components: investigation, prevention and education, or an independent anti-corruption body, which will have a preventive and educational functions, as well as specialized investigative body. Given the importance of our country's possibilities and resources mobilization, the two cases are recommended to use the Special Investigation Service and the capacity of the Ethics Committee. Arpine Hovhannisyan also said that the two models are necessary tools to advance the principle of comprehensive provision. In this connection, the exchange took place, made a number of comments and suggestions.

"We have to take into account that each model has its advantages and disadvantages, and listening to the questions, we can not yet make a final decision today. I instruct the Ministry of Justice, thoroughly discuss the proposed models, once again reveal the pros and cons and make a decision on the proposal within two months. No need to hurry if there are any conflicts with the law, to investigate and to involve international experts, "summing up the discussion, the Prime Minister said.

Then Karen Zadoyan the defining issue of public procurement and the introduction of a ban on real owners of offshore zones in public procurement. He noted that the issue was raised in the course of business associations and business discussions with CSOs, as an urgent problem of corruption risks.

Presenting the results of the study, Karen Zadoyan noted that the main danger emanating from offshore is that many companies whose owners are unknown, registered in offshore zones, win public procurement tenders in Armenia. He said the findings of the Control Chamber becomes clear that mostly non-resident or offshore companies registered in the zone were created artificially for the purchase, and the legislation does not stipulate any obstacle, and organizations registered in offshore zones may participate in public procurement. Procurement and increasing transparency and accountability and reduce corruption as an option for the solution offered by the government to disclose the real owners of companies willing to sign a contract with him, as well as publicizing the information should be free of charge on the latter. The speaker noted that the study of international experience on the application of this approach and the statistics show a decrease in the level of corruption.

Responding to the Premier's generally accepted the proposed approach, and noting that the issue is important and wide-ranging, commissioned by the Minister of Justice, within two months of the legislative package of the government administration.

Then the speech was made by "Investigative Journalists" NGO reporter Sara Petrosyan, who presented the "process ensures the legality of Alienation" and "Auctions implementation of local self-government bodies' findings. He referred to the violations of the Republic of Armenia for research in the fields covered by the scope of the legislation, ensuring auctions transparency of the legislative requirement for the announcement contents, procedure auctions and the violation of legal consequences, indoor and classical auctions, the auction starting price, and other shortcomings in the organization of the auction process disclosed in the process.

Presenting his proposals, Sara Petrosyan considered primary auctions of improving legislation, eliminating the existing contradictions and inconsistencies between laws and regulations, model charter drafting auctions, mandatory for all communities, auctions creation of a specialized institution, community property, auction process efficient organization, the widest possible awareness etc.

Noting that there are problems and gaps in the field, Hovik Abrahamyan instructed the Prime Minister's control service, to present evidence and to carry out spot checks. The Prime Minister stressed that in this area there is a need for legislative changes, and instructed the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Development and the State Committee on Immovable Property Cadastre by the Government, taking into account all the facts and omissions to present a package of legislative changes and government staff within two months, which once again be discussed with the participation of all interested parties and submitted to the National Assembly.

The Council of "Transparency International" Anticorruption Center (TIAC) Sona Ayvazyan, Deputy Director of the NGO, "Defence Anti-Corruption Index system of" global study, risk assessment 2015 the defense system. As a conclusion of the study, proposed to increase the transparency and efficiency of the system, which is necessary for strengthening trust between the public and the armed forces and the efficiency of budget spending.

The report also has a new Deputy Defense Minister Ara Nazaryan, who presented an action plan aimed at strengthening the process of building integrity and actions (good faith) in the framework of cooperation with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in the Ministry of Defense.

Summing up the exchange of views held on the matter, the Prime Minister stressed that the effective provision of security due to the reduced risk of corruption, and this process must be continuous. The Prime Minister noted that the study results may be useful TIAC programs and initiatives to reduce corruption risks in the defense ministry.