Press-based notification mechanism to be completely replaced by  electronic system

ArmInfo.  In Armenia, the press notification mechanism will be completely replaced by an electronic system. At its March 18 session, the RA National Assembly Committee on State and Legal Affairs approved the first reading of amendments to the law "On Public Notification via the Internet" submitted by the RA government.

According to RA Minister of Justice Srbuhi Galyan, several laws  currently in effect in the country mandate the publication of various  information in the press with a specified 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.

This requirement, the Minister emphasized, was relevant in the past,  when the print media was the primary means of informing the public,  and such regulations 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 and role. Furthermore, the process of publishing in the  print media has become quite expensive. All this leads to limited  access to information for a wide range of people and additional  costs. Therefore, publication 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 regulatory act, when public  notification is provided for by publication of information in the  press, public notification must also be posted on the official  website of the Republic of Armenia, azdarar.am. That is, in two cases  of public notification, publication of information on the official  website, azdarar.am, is mandatory. Public notification in the print  media is no longer required. 

The minister also announced the imminent launch of another electronic  platform, Hartak.am, which will provide all notifications, including  those from the judicial and legal system, as well as those of the  country's citizens. Access to this system will be achieved solely by  identification. 

There are all indications that this platform will be operational as  early as next month, but its full availability will be achieved  within three months, once the necessary supporting legislation is  adopted.