Open Government Partnership - Armenia

On 3 March, 2015, during the enlarged session of the OGP Working Group, the Government representatives presented the implementation process of the OGP-Armenia second Action Plan’s commitments. 

1. Digitization and publication of data in the “Republican Geological Fund” SNCO
2. Ensuring transparency in mining

Lead agency: Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources of the RA
Currently negotiations are ongoing with the USAID with view to implementing relevant activities: a draft Project entitled "Support to the Government of Armenia in increasing transparency of the mining field" has been developed, with an aim to assist the Armenian Government in ensuring the transparency and accountability of the mining sphere. The draft Project is at a discussion stage yet and it's inclusive of activities "Digitalisation and publication of data available at the "Republican Geological Fund" State Non-Commercial Organization” and "Ensuring transparency of the mining sector", related to the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources. The Project submitted to the USAID is at a stage of finalization.

As the head of the Lithosphere Department in the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources Vardan Vardanyn informed, in the near future all agreements will be signed and implementation of relevant works will start. In February a meeting took place at the Office of the Minster-Chief of Government Staff Davit Harutyunyan with the EITI representatives Jonas Moberg and Richard Dion. They noted that several mining companies in Armenia have provided positive assessment of Armenia’s initiative to join the EITI and expressed readiness to work in an open and transparent manner. The Representative of the USAID, Arev Movsisyan, also provided information concerning the jointing the EITI, noting that the USAID assists the Government of Armenia in its activities aimed at increasing transparency of the mining industry and joining the EITI. In response to the question on whether or not joining the EITI will createcontradictions with the requirements of membership to the Eurasian Customs Union, Mr. Vardanyan answered “No”.

3. Ensuring public awareness about health care financing
Lead agency: Ministry of Health of the Republic of Armenia

With an aim to implementing this commitment, a health system financial portal www.sha.am is created, where internet users can receive information about state guaranteed programs on free or privileged medical aid and services. As well, an analytical-reporting website with accumulated data has been drafted, through which relevant reports and analysis will become available both to the public and professional medical circles. Currently the works related with information accumulation and website testing are underway.

4. Ensuring transparency of asset and income declarations of the RA high-ranking officials
Lead agency: Ethics Commission of High-Ranking Officials

As envisaged under point 4 of the OGP Program, a Draft Decree of the Republic of Armenia "On Making Amendments and Supplements to the Governmental Decrees dating 15 December 2011, No. 1835-Ն and 15 December 2011, No. 1819-Ն", has been submitted to the Government, in a letter No. N01/54-14, dating 12 September, 2014.
The new Decree of the Government has been adopted on 19 February 2015 under the number N150-Ն.

5. Online broadcasting of the State Procurement Appeals Board sessions
Lead agency: Ministry of Finance of the RA

With an aim to implement the commitment versus procurement field, activities are underway towards obtaining equipment necessary for the online broadcasting of the sessions of public procurement Appeals Council.

6. Community microsurvey introduction in 10 communities
Lead agency: RA Marzeptarans (Regional administrations), RA communities

Target communities are being selected, activities are ongoing versus ensuring the program. As per the letter of the Deputy Prime-Minister No.01/16/4383-14, dated 13.08.2014, it was suggested to the Heads of Communities to undertake relevant activities towards implementing points 6 and 11 of the OGP commitments.
The Council of Elderly of Ashtarak city community has adopted Decree No.7-Ա, 26 January 2015, which envisages conducting of an sms micro-survey, with a view to determining priorities of the mentioned works or services provided by Ashtarak Municipality.

7. Ensuring open, transparent, participatory and accountable process of state policies and legislative reforms
Lead agency: Staff of the RA Government

The activity: with an aim of ensuring open, transparent, participatory and accountable processes in public policy making and legal reforms, clarifying the functions of boards and councils, composition of participating parties, their rights and responsibilities, open and transparent procedures for the development of Councils, defining criteria for the representativeness and professional qualifications of civil society organizations, as well as introducing an electronic accountability systems in the official websites of the Government and Ministries, the Ministry of Justice presently studies international practices and working modalities.

8. Public awareness on the lawmaking activity of state governance bodies
Lead agency: RA Government Staff

Concerning activities envisaged by point 8, I inform that as per the Protocol Decree No. 13, the Governmental Decree from 05 April 2012, “On approving methodological instructions for developing draft legal acts” and “On considering invalid the Government’s Protocol Decree No. 42, from 28 October 2010”, the rules for developing legal acts have been regulated. Besides, rules for the development of legal acts, concepts, strategies and programs have been defined by the Government’s Protocol Decree No. 2, January 22, 2015. At the same time, the Ministry of Justice, with the involvement of international experts, presently implements activities related with the development of legal acts and public awareness raising. 

It is worth mentioning as well that point 3.8 of the “Third Program on Public Sector Modernization” envisages digitalization of normative legal acts, including electronic state registration of normative legal acts. According to the mentioned Program, the process of the registration of normative legal acts will be implemented in electronic format. Gradually, transition will be made from the hardcopy maintenance of the normative acts to electronic versions, in parallel implementing relevant works towards electronic archiving of the normative legal acts. As a result, the circulation, maintenance and archiving of normative legal acts will be electronic, as well, the “Official Bulletin of the RA” will be published in electronic format. Presently technical solutions are being discussed concerning the creation of this platform. 

At the same time, in its letter from 24 December 2013 the Ministry of Justice of the RA has requested the OSCE/ODIHR to conduct a comprehensive assessment of Armenia’s law-making processes. As a result, the OSCE/ODIHR and the Minister of Justice signed a Memorandum of Understanding (henceforth - MoU) on 19 February, where the OSCE/ODIHR became committed to conducting a comprehensive assessment of the law-making processes in Armenia, including recommendations on reforms. Besides, the MoO noted that the OSCE/ODIHR, with the assistance of the Ministry of Justice will organize upto four thematic seminar-discussions on various aspects of law-making processes, with an aim to develop new, additional recommendations, in addition to the recommendations included in the assessment. Finally, the MoU noted that the OSCE/ODIHR will assist Armenia in the development of a road map for the reforms in the regulatory field in Armenia, which will include concrete activities, based on the recommendations made in the assessment and during seminar-discussions.