Armenia – annual report 2024

Details: Published: September 4, 2025

Strategic Framework

Legal Policy Starting Point

Following the military conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia, the President of the self-declared and internationally unrecognised Republic of Artsakh (formerly the Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh) dissolved it by decree on 1 January 2024, but later withdrew this declaration. Most of the Armenian population living there until then fled to Armenia, which posed an enormous challenge for the small country. A wave of protests then spread throughout Armenia with demands for the government to resign.

The country is increasingly turning towards the West and Europe, especially since the “Velvet Revolution” in May 2018, is increasingly committed to rapprochement with the European Union and is implementing corresponding reforms with a view to introducing EU standards. Relations with Russia also continue, and Armenia took part in the CIS summit for Heads of State in Moscow in October 2024. In September 2024, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan confirmed the importance of initiating the EU accession process, which has become an integral part of Armenia’s political agenda in recent years. In addition, the Armenian parliament ratified the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court in October 2023. Armenia is also very interested in receiving advisory support for the intended reforms, particularly in the judicial field.

Overall Concept

IRZ continues to support the process of EU legal harmonisation with projects funded by the BMJV and is involved in EU-funded projects. Advisors focus primarily on the area of criminal law, with a particular emphasis on money laundering and anti-corruption. To promote young legal talent, IRZ is also increasingly implementing training and further education measures.

Focus of Activity in 2024

Public Law

Online consultations of the Armenian Ministry of Justice on the preparation of a study on international best practices on the Regulation of lobbyism

Criminal and Penitentiary law

Summer school for students in Armenia on the topic “The concept of guilt in German criminal law and undercover investigations as evidence” in Yerevan (hybrid format)
Training on “Investigation methodology for corruption-related offences, including property offences, money laundering and illicit enrichment” in cooperation with the Anti-Corruption Committee of Armenia
Online closing meeting of the technical consultation for the construction of a new correctional facility in Armenia

Basic and Further Training

Online consultation on the creation of a handbook on the independence of the judiciary in cooperation with the Academy of Justice and the Konrad Adenauer Foundation
Final conference on the presentation of the handbook on the independence of the judiciary in cooperation with the Academy of Justice and the Konrad Adenauer Foundation in Yerevan
Seminar in cooperation with the Academy of Justice of Armenia on judicial independence and judicial ethics in Yerevan
Moot Court in cooperation with the Faculty of Law of Yerevan State University on criminal and criminal procedure law in Aghveran

Project funded by the European Union

EU Twinning Project „Promoting Integrity and Preventing Corruption in the Public Sector in Armenia“

From June 2022 to August 2024, IRZ and the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Latvia, as junior partner, implemented a 24-month project in favour of the Corruption Prevention Commission (CPC) of Armenia. The overall objectives of this project were to promote integrity and prevent corruption in the public sector in Armenia.

The Azerbaijan conflict presented the beneficiary institutions with challenges in terms of the human resources available for project work. Nevertheless, project implementation in 2024 proceeded as planned following adjustments to the current situation.

The German and international experts involved in capacity building and the implementation of training courses on corruption prevention were also able to organise various training courses this year, for example for the CPC team, for civil servants from various government and administrative institutions, for professors at selected universities and teachers at schools in Yerevan as well as for journalists. Extensive training material and curricula for universities and primary schools were developed and made available. At the same time, a communication strategy was drafted for the CPC with a view to civil society, the media and external interest groups. This strategy intends to support the CPC in its efforts to improve public communication, which have not been a priority to date. In addition, six employees of the CPC were able to familiarise themselves with the German communication approach to corruption prevention during a study visit to Berlin.

In another component, the Latvian team of experts developed a methodology for monitoring and evaluation (M&E) to ensure the sustainability of the anti-corruption strategy.

The German-Latvian team also worked on the development of integrity measures for state-owned enterprises and public companies. It developed an evaluation methodology and tested it on pilot companies. The experts trained CPC employees to enable them to implement the plan for improving business integrity in Armenia developed as part of the project, even after the project had ended.

On 7 May 2024, the official closing event of the project took place in Yerevan, where the Armenian component leaders of the CPC and the Ministry of Justice presented the results of the Twinning Project. The Armenian anti-corruption authority and the EU delegation thanked IRZ for its extensive support, the great commitment of the team of experts, the instructive study trips to Riga and Berlin and the successful cooperation within the Twinning project during the entire two-year project period.

Outlook

IRZ will continue its cooperation with its Armenian partners in the aforementioned specialist areas, including and in consultation with the Armenian partner institutions on the important topic of “combating and preventing corruption”. The implementation of further training measures for young legal professionals also remains a priority of IRZ’s cooperation with its Armenian partners.