Government adopts Strategy for Anti-Corruption Reforms; major directions predetermined

The “2023-2026 Anti-Corruption Strategy of the Republic of Armenia and the Action Plan arising from the Strategy'' has been approved upon the decision of the Government.

Adoption of the Strategy arises from the 2021-2026 Action Plan of the Government of the Republic of Armenia, the OECD Recommendations and the requirements of the United Nations Convention against Corruption.

The following five strategic objectives lie at the core of the reforms in the anti-corruption field for the years 2023-2026: prevention of corruption and strengthening of integrity, betterment of the systems for counter-influencing corruption, betterment of anti-corruption education and public awareness, business integrity and betterment of the programme for anti-corruption monitoring and evaluation. The Strategy envisages more than 70 actions for combating corruption.

The main directions are as follows:

1. Introducing the systems of corruption risk assessment and management within state and local self-government bodies, elaborating restraint mechanisms for identified risks;
2. Improving the institution of integrity of officials by revealing violations of incompatibility requirements, preventing conflict of interests and improving the regulations of the donations institution;
3. Enhancing the capabilities of the Anti-Corruption Committee, the Commission for the Prevention of Corruption and the Anti-Corruption Court, electronic systems and technical equipment, by engaging experts in economic and financial sectors in the activities of anti-corruption law-enforcement bodies and anti-corruption courts, upon necessity;
4. Improving and enhancing the whistle-blowing system by reviewing the whistle-blowing model, implementing programmes for encouraging whistle-blowing, as well as improving the means for protection of whistle-blowers;
5. Introducing a toolkit for ensuring integrity in the business sector and anti-corruption mechanisms for protecting rights in the business sector;
6. Improving the public procurement system to exclude the participation of persons associated with high-ranking officials in public procurement and to ensure the revelation of offences in the sector of competition protection within the scope of procurement.

Adoption of the Strategy is aimed at ensuring continuity of the anti-corruption policy assumed by the Government to build the anti-corruption institutional system, to combat the manifestations of corruption and to shape among the public a culture of intolerance towards corruption.