RA NA IN FIRST READING ADOPTS LEGISLATIVE PACKAGE "ON PROSECUTOR’S OFFICE"

Noyan Tapan
Feb 20 2007

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 20, NOYAN TAPAN. The bill "On Prosecutor’s Office"
and the legislative package of making amendments and additions to
number of laws proceeding from it discussed at the previous regular
four-day session were adopted in first reading at the February 20
special NA sitting convened on the initiative of the government.

In the words of the main reporter, RA Minister of Justice David
Haroutiunian, the bill "On Prosecutor’s Office" specifies Prosecutor’s
Office’s powers, and Prosecutor’s rights and responsibilities
are stipulated more minutely in connection with execution of each
power. This especially refers to control over legality of fulfilment
of sanctions and other means of compulsion, instituting a lawsuit
on protection of state interests and relations connected with
the criminal sphere. Some changes are introduced to the system of
Prosecutor’s Office. A Prosecutor becomes a much more independent
figure especially in the sphere of criminal procedure.

D. Haroutiunian said that after the transitional period, probably,
in June of current year, the institution of investigator will
be liquidated at the Prosecutor’s Office and the Prosecutor’s
Office will no longer hold preliminary investigation. RA Police and
National Security Service will assume the main burden of carrying out
preliminary investigation. The Minister did not exclude creation of
bodies carrying out preliminary investigation in another structures
too, in the future, in particular, in customs and tax services.

And the Prosecutor’s Office will carry out the main power laid
on it: will exercise control over preliminary investigation and
investigation. The structure of Prosecutor Office’s system in principle
will be kept unchanged, but a change will be made in the structure of
Prosecutor General’s Office. This is conditioned by the circumstance
that the same Prosecutor will will empowered to examine the case
completely, the same Prosecutor will be responsible for the criminal
prosecution stage on a concrete case, for control over preliminary
investigation and investigation, for defence of charge at the court,
for bringing an accusation.