
ArmInfo. In Armenia, the mechanism of notification via publication in the press will be completely replaced by an electronic system. At its April 14 session, the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia will discuss amendments to the law "On Public Notification via the Internet" and a package of related laws in its second reading.
According to RA Minister of Justice Srbuhi Galyan, several laws are currently in effect in Armenia that require mandatory publication of various information in the press with a certain circulation. For example, this applies to press notification of bankruptcies, tenders, recognition of priority public interest, the activities of the Corruption Prevention Commission, banks and insurance companies, etc. The Minister emphasized that this requirement was relevant in the past, when print media was the main source of public information, and such standards were aimed at ensuring access to information for a wide range of people and at informing the public. However, in recent years, the rapid development of information technology, the availability of digital platforms, and the scale of information dissemination through them have proven the obsoleteness of publishing information in the print media, which has lost its former distribution nature and its role. Furthermore, the process of publishing in the print media has become quite expensive. All this leads to limited actual access to information for a wide range of people and additional costs. Therefore, publications in the print media cannot currently be considered an effective or accessible form of information dissemination. Furthermore, Article 3 of the document stipulates that in cases specified by law or other normative legal act, when public notification is provided for by publication of information in the press, the public notification must also be posted on the official website of the Republic of Armenia, azdarar.am. This means that in two cases of public notification, publication of the information on the official website azdarar.am is mandatory. Public notification in the print media will no longer be required. Banks and credit institutions will be able to post their reports on their websites.
The minister also announced the imminent launch of another electronic platform, Hartak.am, which will present all notifications, including those from the judicial and legal system, as well as those from citizens. Access to this system will be achieved solely by identification. There is every indication that this platform will be operational as early as next month, but it will become fully accessible within three months, once the bylaws are adopted. Galyan announced that the draft amendments to the Water Code have been removed from the package.