ArmenPress
July 23 2004
PROSECUTORS RESHUFFLED TO BE IMMUNE FROM LOCAL INFLUENCE
YEREVAN, JULY 23, ARMENPRESS: Armenia’s chief prosecutor Aghvan
Hovsepian explained today that a major reshuffle of prosecutors last
week was to keep them immune from, as he put it, “the local
influence.” He also said the reshuffle was in line with the principle
of rotation of prosecutors.
Speaking to reporters, the chief prosecutor also argued that “some
of prosecutors have already exhausted themselves,” saying some new
and younger prosecutors are expected to work more effectively.
Under a recent decree by president Robert Kocharian, who is
entitled by the Constitution to appoint and dismiss prosecutors, 70
percent of all prosecutors were replaced, including all prosecutors
of Yerevan communities and heads of two divisions of the chief
prosecutor’s office.
Hovsepian said also that 27 prosecutors were dismissed by various
reasons in the first six months of this year. New appointees will
have from now on to get the approval of a special attestation
commission and go through an interview with members of the ruling
board of the prosecutor’s office. The entire staff of the office now
is 601 employees.