Official from Medical-Social Expertise Agency Received Bribes: NSS

The National Security Service (NSS) of Armenia, in its relentless and uncompromising fight against various manifestations of corruption, has uncovered another case of bribery involving an official from the Medical-Social Expertise Agency (MSEA) of the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs.

According to factual data received, the president of one of the committees of the MSEA, endowed with organizational and managerial powers as well as being a public official under the Law on Public Service, received bribes ranging from 20,000 to 100,000 AMD over an extended period of time. This was done in violation of the prohibitions set forth in the same law, in preliminary agreement with other two members of the committee, in exchange for making favorable decisions for applicants seeking medical expertise, such as recognizing disability, determining the duration of benefits, and changing the disability group.

Specifically, during March 2020 alone, he received a total of 300,000 AMD in substantial amounts as bribes from six individuals seeking expertise in his office. With undeniable evidence available, the president of the mentioned committee was caught red-handed receiving bribes on March 23, 2020, under the surveillance of NSS operatives and was taken into custody. During a search, the object of bribery was discovered and seized, and the individuals offering the bribes confessed to committing the crime.

Based on the relevant articles of the criminal code of Armenia, a criminal case has been initiated in the investigative department of the NSS against the seized official. The preliminary investigation is ongoing, and relevant measures are being taken to uncover other potential bribery cases and identify and hold accountable any individuals involved in the corruption chain.