Everything able to distort essence of democracy in Armenia should be rooted out - Pashinyan
After the political changes that took place in Armenia in April and May, the National Security Service, given the Armenian people’s reinterpretation of their way to the future, assumed a special role in struggle against corruption and efforts to establish rule of law, Armenian Acting Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said Thursday at the ceremonial meeting dedicated to the Day of the National Security Service Officer.
“We have no doubts that corruption, especially its outreach, poses threat to national security,” he said. “This is a serious challenge to our country and people. Today we are building a totally new state, new society. There must be no room for corruption and bribery, impunity for criminals, abuse of power and everything able to distort the essence of democracy in the new Armenia.”
Law enforcement agencies, he said, were considered as instrument for repressions before, while now they shouldn’t be used by the authorities for political persecution and revenge.
Nowadays, various challenges prompt constant improvement of work.
”Intelligence, secret service, struggle against terrorism, protection of public order and control of our borders create a huge field for work, which you are doing with honor,” Pashinyan said.
It was strange before to talk to law enforcement agencies’ representatives about human rights and democracy, while now the necessity of doing that has emerged, since maintenance of constitutional order means, first of all, protection of people’s power from various encroachments.
Nikol Pashinyan said that corruption is not limited to pocketing money – it is also directly connected with takeover of power and its retention.
He added that all the officers of the National Security Service should be convinced that their actions come from the law and serve the Constitution of Armenia and people. -0---