Draft Allowing Certain Employees of the State Revenue Committee to Carry Firearms Approved in First Reading

The National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia approved in the first reading the draft law amending the Law on Weapons of the Republic of Armenia. The government-initiated draft received 84 votes in favor and 3 abstentions.

The development of the draft law on amending the Law on Weapons is necessitated by the need to provide the State Revenue Committee with firearms, which are intended to be used for operational-service purposes. The objectives of operational-investigative activities include, among other goals, the prevention and detection of smuggling and the illegal transport of vehicles across the customs border of the Republic of Armenia.

Under the draft, the State Revenue Committee will be allocated firearms. The list of employees authorized to carry firearms and the types of weapons will be determined by a decision of the Government of the Republic of Armenia.