The amendments to the Judicial Code and to the Law on Remuneration for Work of Persons Holding State Positions are the logical continuity of the reforms in the system of civil forfeiture of illegal assets. This is what Deputy Minister of Justice of Armenia Srbuhi Galyan said during the second and final discussion on the bills on making amendments to the Judicial Code and related laws held as part of the special session of the National Assembly today.

Galyan clarified that the Supreme Judicial Council can select judges of the first instance court specializing in civil and criminal cases who will also deal with issues related to civil forfeiture of illegal assets. “This amendment is a temporary amendment because under the Anti-Corruption Strategy, in late 2021, there will be specialized courts that will deal with cases regarding corruption and civil forfeiture of illegal assets,” she said.

When asked why the parliament is rushing to adopt the bills, Galyan said this is due to the fact that prosecutors have to start working on the cases of civil forfeiture of illegal assets in one to one-and-a-half months.