11:45,

YEREVAN, JULY 21, ARMENPRESS. The Cabinet approved the 2022-2026 Judicial and Legal Reforms Strategy and its Action Plan.

Speaking at the Cabinet meeting, Minister of Justice Karen Andreasyan said that it is the continuation of the 2019 strategy.

He said that many of the works in the new strategy are inherited from the previous one and are being perfected and improved.

“Certain areas were unfortunately not implemented due to the pandemic and the war. Some other areas are almost ready and we will implement them in the next months,” he said.

The first provision in the strategy is the judiciary reforms. The full chain of the Anti-Corruption Courts will be launched. The system is nearly completed.

The other important direction is the digitization of court proceedings, and then integrity check.

Andreasyan said the integrity check will concern not only the judges. “Today, only newly appointed judges are passing an integrity check, whereas the strategy envisages that soon all active judges will pass the integrity check. This will become a very serious instrument in fighting corruption,” Andreasyan said, adding that they envisage the integrity check also for prosecutors, investigators, prison staff and in some other areas as well.

The other emphasis in the strategy is the chance to appeal the Supreme Judicial Council’s disciplinary decisions.

Reforms are also envisaged in law practice. Andreasyan said they’ve worked together with the bar association and the lawyers in developing the amendments and they’ve reached a consensus.

Reforms are planned in the bankruptcy field, as well as the compulsory enforcement system.

The system of alternative solution of disputes is also an important direction in the strategy.