Series of trainings conducted within the scope of nationwide awareness-raising campaign for whistle-blowing system summed up in Yerevan

Deputy Minister of Justice Karen Karapetyan and Deputy Mayor of Yerevan Suren Grigoryan summed up the series of trainings conducted within the scope of a nationwide awareness raising campaign for the whistle-blowing system. Karen Karapetyan emphasised that, as with all institutions that are introduced, the launch of the whistle-blowing system will also require ongoing improvements in the course of its organic development, and there will also be a need to raise public awareness.

Suren Grigoryan attached importance to the joint inter-departmental efforts aimed at raising awareness about the whistle-blowing system and informed that the heads of administrative districts of Yerevan and their deputies are attending the training. The Deputy Minister attached great importance to the involvement of international partners in the process, particularly the USAID, the Council of Europe and the German Society for International Cooperation, and also mentioned that civil society partners have joined the process and expressed their willingness to consolidate the efforts.

The Deputy Minister informed that awareness-raising events have been held in all regions of Armenia with the participation of more than 300 representatives of local self-government bodies.

Advisor to the Minister of Justice and coordinator of the whistle-blowing campaign Liana Tovmasyan noted that the initiative to conduct the final training event in Yerevan is not by chance, taking into consideration the fact that trainings have already been conducted in all the marzes of Armenia, and this round aimed at raising awareness of representatives of local self-government bodies is being summed up in Yerevan; this round has already produced positive results: the number of cases of whistle-blowing has increased by almost tenfold. The Advisor to the Minister also informed that the next step will include various communication events and training sessions at universities in Yerevan and marzes starting in September 2024.

The attendees expressed confidence that implementation of the predetermined programmes through joint efforts will serve as a major contribution for fostering public intolerance toward corruption and fulfilling the Government's commitment to combat corruption.

The trainings for representatives of local self-government bodies were carried out within the scope of co-operation with the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ), through the joint efforts of the Ministry of Justice and the Armenian Lawyers' Association NGO.