Monday, April 8 2024 13:01

ArmInfo. Armenia and the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation will cooperate  in the legal field. The RA National Assembly Commission on Defense and Security Issues at its meeting on April 7 issued a positive conclusion on two documents presented by the RA government - an  agreement on interaction between the RA Ministry of Internal Affairs and the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation (Europol) and a memorandum of understanding between the RA Ministry  of Internal Affairs and Europol on the creation secure communication channel.

As Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Armenia  Arpine Sargsyan noted in her speech, the documents were signed by the  European side on June 27, 2023, and by the Armenian side, taking into  account the maintenance of internal state procedures, on February 5,  2024.

The directions of the first document are aimed at organizing a joint  fight against cross-border crime, in particular, at combating drug  trafficking, preventing illegal migration, cybercrime, and restoring  illegally exported assets. At the same time, the Ministry of Internal  Affairs acts in this agreement as a single law enforcement agency  that will have to coordinate the work to implement the terms of the  agreement. The parties undertake to cooperate by exchanging  information. Sargsyan noted that the parties take responsibility to  avoid any steps directed against the provisions of the agreement  until the main document is developed and ratified. As part of the  agreement, it is planned to establish a permanent office in the  Netherlands, through which constant communication with Europol will  be maintained. The process of equipping it will be carried out at the  expense of EU funds. A similar Europol office will operate in  Yerevan. This will make it possible to carry out more effective  round-the-clock cooperation between the Republic of Armenia and the  EU Agency in the legal field.

As for the second document, as the Deputy Minister emphasized, within  the framework of the memorandum presented by the Cabinet, it is  planned to create a liaison officer's office, which will be a  representative of the Republic of Armenia. Its task will include  resolving issues related to providing secure communication channels  with the creation of appropriate infrastructures. The salary of the  liaison officer and his office staff will be paid from the state  budget of Armenia. The necessary equipment and supplies to support  the activities of the liaison officer will be provided by Europol.