The issue of ratification of the Agreement on Interaction between the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Armenia and the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation was debated at the sitting of the NA Standing Committee on Defense and Security on April 8. The Agreement aims to expand cooperation in the fight against transnational crime, in particular, drug trafficking, migrant smuggling, cybercrime, asset recovery, money laundering, human trafficking and other areas.
The RA Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs Arpine Sargsyan stated this and added that interaction between the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Armenia and Europol will be an important achievement. In this case, the Ministry of Internal Affairs is not a separate member of the Government, but the unified representative of the RA law enforcement system within the framework of joint cooperation with Europol. A liaison officer for cooperation with Europol will be appointed, who will ensure the exchange of information and feedback between the Armenian law enforcement system and Europol.
In response to the question of the Committee Chair Andranik Kocharyan, Arpine Sargsyan detailed how the possibilities of the Agreement will be used after its ratification. “The Deputy Minister mentioned that the harmonization processes have practically started. The liaison officer will have access to all legal databases of the law enforcement system, which will provide an opportunity to ensure cooperation between the EU and the RA. This will ensure 24/7 smooth cooperation between Europol and the RA.”
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In her related report, the Committee member Kristine Poghosyan also highlighted the adoption of the Agreement. She underscored the fact that the content of Europol’s activity is investigative and analytical. Unlike Interpol, which is a body with police powers, Europol does not have powers of arrest and interrogation.
The draft law has been endorsed.
National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia