ARMENIA TO INTRODUCE SPECIAL INVESTIGATIVE SERVICE, OPPOSITION ALARMED
Russia & CIS General Newswire
November 28, 2007 Wednesday 2:52 PM MSK
The Armenian National Assembly (parliament) has adopted a law setting
up a special investigative service on Wednesday.
The service will carry out "preliminary criminal inquiries in
connection with crimes committed with the involvement of senior
legislative, executive or judicial officials or persons performing
special public service, as well as a preliminary inquiries into cases
related to electoral processes."
The service is created as part of the reform of the country’s legal
system. The Armenian government, which submitted the bill along with a
set of amendments relating with the opening of the new law enforcement
agency, says the service will become an anti-corruption tool.
Opposition members, who did not participate in voting, said the new
service could become a tool of pressure on officials who are not loyal
to the authorities, given that the service chief will be appointed
upon the Prosecutor General’s submission by the Armenian president.
Many opposition activists believe the creation of the special
investigative service is aimed at giving jobs to prosecution
investigators, whose investigative powers were handed over to the
police.