The Armenian Parliament passed the law on public service and corresponding laws on Thursday, with 59 votes for and 12 against. The law involves establishment of a Commission for Ethic of High-Ranking Officials, News Armenia reports.
The package of amendments to the law did not receive the necessary number of votes, the Dashnaktsutyun opposition fraction did not vote. Armenian Justice Minister Gayr Tovmasyan said that the law will determine basic principles of public service, ethics, tax return and property of high-ranking officials and people affiliated.
500 officials will present their tax returns.
The commission will be formed in 6 months. 5 members of the commission will be appointed by the president. Candidates will be introduced by the speaker, prime minister, chairman of the Constitutional Court, Appellate Court, Prosecutor General’s Office.
Functionaries will not be allowed to receive presents worth over $134, Tovmasyan said. PMs have expressed discontent with the ban on presents and the need for tax returns of all their families and relatives.
Head of the Dashnaktsutyun Fraction Vaan Ovannisyan says that the project is prejudiced, depending on political ideas. The structure needs to be independent. There should be no exceptions for functionaries. There are sanctions against the speaker but no control over prime minister.
