Armenia's new Parliament to launch bipartisan ethics commission

Armenia's newly elected 9th National Assembly will establish a bipartisan ethics commission aimed at promoting higher standards of parliamentary conduct through public accountability rather than disciplinary measures, Parliament Speaker Ruben Rubinyan has announced.

Speaking to reporters, Rubinyan said the commission will initially operate for a two-year term, after which its mandate may be extended by a separate parliamentary decision, Caliber.Az reports, citing Armenian media.

The body will be composed of an equal number of representatives from the ruling majority and the opposition, reflecting a bipartisan approach to overseeing ethical standards in the legislature. Under the agreed framework, the commission will be chaired by a member of the ruling faction during its first six months, with an opposition lawmaker serving as deputy chair. The two positions will rotate every six months.

Rubinyan stressed that the commission would not have the authority to impose sanctions on lawmakers found to have breached ethical rules. Instead, he said, its effectiveness would rest on transparency and public scrutiny.

"Alongside the media, the ethics commission can become a serious deterrent for members of parliament," Rubinyan said.

By Vafa Guliyeva