First inadmissible gift has been returned; Legislative amendments related to institute of gifts already in effect

The amendments to the Law "On public service" aimed at improving the institute of gifts received by civil servants have been in effect since January 2024. According to the specified amendments, public servants and persons holding public positions shall be prohibited from accepting any gifts related to official duties. As a sector-specific policy-making body, the Ministry of Justice received a protocol, according to which Chairman of the Standing Committee on Financial-Credit and Budgetary Affairs of the National Assembly Gevorg Papoyan recently received the “Door” Armenian brandy from “X” company, which he considered as inadmissible, and the Deputy decided to return the gift to the gifter through the organiser for integrity affairs. Let us remind that only four categories of gifts are allowed by law (ceremonial gifts, gifts given during official visits, scholarships, etc.). According to the current regulations of the Law, if a public official has receive a gift that could reasonably be perceived as a gift related to his or her official duties, he or she shall be obliged to seek an advisory opinion on the admissibility of the gift, and if the gift is considered as inadmissible according to the advisory opinion, the public official must return it to the gifter or shall pay the equivalent compensation. After the mentioned regulations of the Law entered into force, an incident was already recorded when a public official, having received an inadmissible gift, returned it to the gifter based on the advisory opinion of the organiser for integrity affairs.