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The position of Prosecutor General, in general, is of crucial importance in the law enforcement system. For the first time in the history of Armenia, a woman candidate is running for this position. Anna Vardapetyan can embody the new image of the Prosecutor’s Office, the Prosecutor’s Office, which is first of all called to ensure the restoration of rights and demand a fair trial,” the Chair of the RA NA Standing Committee on State and Legal Affairs Vladimir Vardanyan said at the NA extraordinary session convened on June 29 on the deputies’ initiative.

The parliament debated the issue of the election of Prosecutor General.

According to Article 145 of the Constitutional Law “Rule of Procedure of the National Assembly”, the Standing Committee on State and Legal Affairs proposed to the National Assembly Anna Vardapetyan’s candidacy, nominated by the Civil Contract Faction for the position of Prosecutor General.

“New challenges will accompany you in the position of Prosecutor General, but I am sure that you will successfully overcome those challenges,” Vladimir Vardanyan said, expressing conviction that the prosecutor’s bodies headed by Anna Vardapetyan will have the opportunity to create more legal Armenia.

In her speech, the candidate for the RA Prosecutor General Anna Vardapetyan referred to the existing problems in the pre-trial proceedings. In particular, she spoke about processes rather than results-oriented justice, lengthy court cases, aggravated proceedings, workload. The rapporteur considered the implementation of an effective prosecutorial oversight mechanism as a way to resolve delays in the pre-trial proceedings. She stressed the importance of cooperative work both inside and outside the country, emphasizing the need for professional discussions. According to the candidate, patronage should be excluded. “Talking about democracy without the rule of law, and talking about the rule of law having privileges and patronage are fantastic judgements,” Anna Vardapetyan said.

The candidate also presented her vision of replacing crime prevention mechanisms with a formal mechanism for initiating criminal cases and investigation. According to her, the fairness of the punishment has two clear criteria in the criminal sense. “The punishment should not be late; the punishment should be proportionate. And in order for the punishment not to be late, criminal justice should be effective, so that the punishment is proportionate, there should be no patronage,” Anna Vardapetyan summarized, presenting her formula.

The candidate for Prosecutor General answered the deputies’ questions. They referred to the pace of anti-corruption in our country, the need for reforms in the field, protection of the rights of victims of thefts, the effectiveness of the implementation of the law on Confiscation of Property of Illegal Origin, full justice in the legal system, reasons for the delay in the investigation of some cases, modernization of mechanisms, cooperation between the Prosecutor General’s Office and the legislative body, etc.

According to Anna Vardapetyan, the connection between the Prosecutor General’s Office - the legislative body should not be limited to the submission of reports and annual messages to the parliament. The candidate highlighted the professional working discussions at the level of committees.

The deputies Vahagn Aleksanyan, Vigen Khachatryan, Vilen Gabrielyan, Vladimir Vardanyan, Arpine Davoyan and Gurgen Arsenyan gave speeches.

In his speech, the Head of the Civil Contract Faction Hayk Konjoryan noted that the nomination of Anna Vardapetyan was made with a strong conviction and trust both in the latter’s professional qualities and professionalism and in human values and virtue.

According to him, the public expectation after the revolution is mainly connected with the establishment of justice in Armenia. Hayk Konjoryan noted that at this stage of reforms in the judicial-legal system, which is important for Armenia, when the issues of the election of judges of the Court of Cassation and the Prosecutor General are debated, the opposition does not participate in the debate.

“Today, the Civil Contract Faction also represents the opposition voters, all the RA citizens. The objectivity, impartiality and independence of the judicial-legal system are fundamental for us. This is our belief, and we will go that way. Any deviation from the belief is unacceptable for us, and we, as a political majority and holders of a strong mandate of the people, will do everything to make that belief a reality. We should show that the balance and restraint between the different wings of power is not a conflict, that the source of the different wings of power is the people. I believe that Anna Vardapetyan, being elected RA Prosecutor General, will remain faithful to the mission defined by law,” Hayk Konjoryan said.

In her final speech, Anna Vardapetyan thanked the Prosecutor’s Office for its daily work, Artur Davtyan for his consistent and apolitical approach, the deputies for their professional discussion and sharp questions. “During the briefing, when I was asked what benchmark is set for the Prosecutor’s Office, I answered that the existing benchmark, which is set to be apolitical, autonomous, professional, accountable, will be raised even more,” the candidate for the RA Prosecutor General concluded.