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The Government proposes to make amendments and addenda to the Criminal Procedure Code aimed at lightening the workload of the Anti-Corruption Commission, conducting a proper and high-quality preliminary investigation of alleged corruption crimes.

According to the Deputy Minister of Justice Arpine Sargsyan, the Anti-Corruption Commission has 40 vacancies, 33 of which – investigators’ positions. “280 criminal cases of a corruption nature were investigated during the period from October 23 to December 31 in 2021, 171 materials were prepared. During that period, each investigator had 10-11 cases in his/her proceedings. According to the colleagues of the Anti-Corruption Commission, it cannot but affect the quality of the investigation,” she said.

Taking into account the abovementioned, it is proposed to leave the investigation of certain types of crimes to the commission. “The corruption crimes committed by the officials will be left to the Anti-Corruption Commission, and private cases will be transferred to other bodies, in particular to the Investigative Committee,” the Deputy Minister said.

The Deputy Chair of the Committee Vahagn Hovakimyan presented the endorsement of the Standing Committee on State and Legal Affairs. According to him, the draft law was elaborated together with the Anti-Corruption Commission, and they are also interested in the adoption of the draft, aimed at increasing the efficiency of their work.

The draft law was debated at the NA regular sitting on May 24.