Armenian Ministry of Justice has released the Draft law on the anti-corruption strategy of Armenia and the program of its implementation for 2019-2022 (in Armenian) on its unified website for publication of legal acts’ drafts, e-draft.am.

The published draft outlines the following areas of focus: prevention of corruption, detection of corruption crimes, and anti-corruption education.

So far, Armenia has had three anti-corruption strategies that included drafting and adoption of a number of legislative acts. Nevertheless, certain indices and expert assessments demonstrate that the country’s level of corruption is still high.

Anti-corruption expert Mariam Zadoyan has told Mediamax that the bill introduces key anti-corruption mechanisms in general, but the document needs drastic changes. The expert considers that it leaves out a number of important tools, including creation of a unified, universal, independent anti-corruption body.

“The draft mentions foundation of a commission on prevention of corruption as well as an operative and intelligence system and a legal framework, but in the international experience, the most efficient model is a unified agency,” she said.

According to Mariam Zadoyan, the bill should include changes to the article on detection of actual owners.

“We should disclose the names of the officials who have companies in Armenia and hide it via offshore accounts in order to build corruption schemes. In this regard, the bill just allows for a register of real owners but lacks amendments to legislation, which would oblige companies to submit data on actual owners and prevent them from hiding it,” said the expert.

She added that anti-corruption courts would also make essential contribution to the fight against corruption.

According to Mariam Zadoyan, there have been legislative changes for accreditation of property of officials, but they are still able to conceal their real properties and profits. The new strategy should include solutions for this issue as well.

The expert emphasized that although the strategy mentions a whistleblower protection system introduced by the recent amendments, it does not contain effective mechanisms for encouraging informants and guaranteeing their safety and anonymity.

At the same time, she found it important that the new strategy includes private sector in the fight against corruption by proposing that corresponding anti-corruption programs be taken within the sector.

Mariam Zadoyan also highlighted the crucial role that close cooperation between the state and the specialized organizations within the civil society plays in implementation of the anti-corruption strategy. Moreover, she believes that the bill needs to be adjusted to Kuala Lumpur Principles, which imply improvement of monitoring mechanisms.

The Ministry of Justice has informed Mediamax that the strategy will undergo a substantial review based on the proposals from concerned parties.

Taguhi Hovhannisyan