GRECO EXPERTS DISCONTENT WITH ARMENIAN JUDICIAL SYSTEM

PanARMENIAN.Net - The expert commission of the Group of States against Corruption (GRECO) will present the results of a monitoring held in Armenia May 28 - June 3 in the course of a close plenary session in October-November 2005. It was reported by Deputy Foreign Minister of Armenia, head of the GRECO Armenian delegation Ashot Galoyan. In his words, recommendations will be provided to Armenia and they have to be realized within a year and a half. As noted by Galoyan, last year Armenia presented a 180-page document that included approaches to struggle against corruption, evaluation of anti-corruption programs. In their turn European anti-corruption experts said that they wish to arrive and acquaint with the situation in person. In Galoyan's words, in the near future results of monitoring Germany will be presented, while Georgia has passed the evaluation stage. He also remarked that all countries of the region, except Iraq, are GRECO members. Certain problems were outlined resulting from meetings the experts had at the Ministry of Justice, Police, Prosecutor's Office, the judicial system, Civil Service Council, State Purchase Agency, the Commercial and Industrial Chamber and the Parliament. Thus, in Galoyan's words, the parties noted that the judicial system is far from being satisfactory and certain reforms are necessary. In his words, it is also necessary to regulate at the state level whether an official has the right to receive presents. «This concept was alien to the European experts,» the Deputy FM said. According to him such questions as whether a juridical person can be punished for corruption activities or how to struggle corruption, if there is no institute of protection of witness rights in Armenia appeared. Answering journalists' question whether GRECO experts know which of the Armenian officials is engaged in business, what buildings are owned by them, etc. Mr. Galoyan answered «they have come to assess the situation, not an individual person.» In the completion the GRECO Armenian delegation leader said Armenian Ambassador to the UN has signed the Europe Criminal Law Convention on Corruption, which is soon to be submitted to the National Assembly of Armenia.