President Serzh Sargsyan received the RA Prosecutor General Aghvan Hovsepian

President Serzh Sargsyan received today the RA Prosecutor General Aghvan Hovsepian. At the meeting discussed were issues pertinent to the frequently voiced by the public concerns about the election-related buying-off cases. On this issue, the President gave relevant instructions. “Undoubtedly, such negative occurrences cast a shadow on any electoral process, and it is the most important issue for any democratic and legal state to neutralize that harmful influence and secure free and fair elections,” the President of Armenia said.

Serzh Sargsyan underscored that even though the acting legislation allows to prevent or eliminate this crime and punish those culpable, nevertheless considering the importance of the issue and in order to ensure the most efficient application of the provisions of the law, it is necessary in the shortest possible time to undertake additional measures conditioned by the situation.

According to Serzh Sargsyan, in the framework of the existing regulations, a priority in the activities of the relevant bodies should be the acquittal of the criminal charges of those who allegedly took kickbacks if they willingly come forward, report such cases and assist in the disclosure of such cases. He also said that when such guarantees are in place, a citizen who has erred once will get the opportunity to assist in the fight against “election-related buying-off” cases and thus will stay away from the inescapable punishment.