YEREVAN. – The Armenian Parliament in the second reading considered amendments to the Criminal Code of Armenia and the Laws “On civil service” and “On public service”.

It is planned to set up a committee on ethics which will “regulate” relations between senior officials and MPs. The committee will regulate disputes between senior officials to monitor whether they receive expensive gifts.

The document also provides for mandatory regulation of property and taxes not only that of high-ranking officials and MPs, but also their relatives.

Armenian Minister of Justice Hrayr Tovmasyan stated that the committee on ethics will have a clear anti-corruption strategy. The minister said the committee will check about 600 high ranking officials, including the president, parliament speaker and MPs, prime minister, judges, head of the Central Bank and others.

It will be an independent committee financed by presidential administration but not subordinated to the president, Tovmasyan added.