I Emphasize the Effective Investigation of Criminal Cases Related to the 44-Day War: Prime Minister's Speech at the Investigative Committee

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan visited the Investigative Committee of Armenia today and participated in a solemn meeting dedicated to the 7th anniversary of the committee's establishment.

Present at the event were the leadership of the Investigative Committee and heads of structural divisions. In his congratulatory speech, Prime Minister Pashinyan stated, "Honorable Chairman of the Investigative Committee, esteemed colleagues, I congratulate us all on the occasion of the Day of the Investigative Committee and the 7th anniversary of the committee's establishment. I believe that especially at this stage of our state's development, where we face numerous challenges, we must repeatedly emphasize the necessity of the establishment and development of state institutions. In this regard, I want to particularly highlight the need for improving the efficiency and quality of law enforcement agencies, which is essential and pivotal for the further development of our state and the management of challenges. In this sense, at every anniversary of our investigative bodies, we emphasize the necessity of enhancing the quality of preliminary investigations.

We must acknowledge that we have ongoing progress in this regard, but we must also note that what we have achieved should not be considered sufficient. In this context, I want to emphasize two important components. It is very important that in the Investigative Committee and, in general, in law enforcement agencies, as well as in the public administration system overall, alongside the improvement of quality standards in work, we can also set a more reliable and higher benchmark for social guarantees. This is also one of the priorities of the Government's policies. However, I must also say that we cannot develop this direction in our state institutions at the desired speed and pace unless we combine it with the process of enhancing the efficiency of our state institutions in every respect.

The Investigative Committee is the largest investigative body in our country; we value and highly appreciate its work. We also want the issue of increasing effectiveness to never be out of our sight, because making the system effective means allowing the Government to increase the efficiency of social guarantees—salaries, etc.—more quickly, more confidently, and more targeted. I want us to agree that this issue will be on our joint working agenda. This is not only about the Investigative Committee but about all our state bodies, and we must definitely develop this direction.

The next issue I want to address within the same context is that I consider it very important for our society to receive complete answers to the circumstances of the 44-day war and the full picture of the events that occurred. Of course, I do not think that we should expect those answers solely from the Investigative Committee because, after all, the issue has a broader context, and I believe that the National Assembly’s investigative commission will address that broader context more extensively.

But I also emphasize the effective preliminary investigation of criminal cases related to the circumstances of the war so that our society and the relatives of our fallen soldiers receive concrete answers to specific questions. Moreover, having any preconception in this regard would be a fatal mistake. Questions that have been framed simply need to receive objective answers so that claims of guilt or innocence are not based on individual perceptions and an incomplete understanding of the situation.

Today's discussion seems slightly more work-oriented, and there are certain alarming tones, but I do not want us to make this logic the only message of today. I want to thank you all for the work done during this period. Because we must also acknowledge that our country is experiencing a very difficult period and has gone through that difficulty in a very tense time filled with climaxes. And the fact that we were able to resolve that period with elections, which were internationally recognized as compliant with the standards of democracy, is also a very significant expression of the activity and strength of our law enforcement responsibility institutions.

I want to express my word of appreciation on that occasion and emphasize that I greatly value the role that the Investigative Committee has played during this time. I want to highlight what this is about. It is obvious that the Investigative Committee did not engage in any political activities or involvement. It is about the fact that in very difficult and mixed times, our law enforcement institutions have remained in their positions and ensured the normal functioning of state institutions, state functions, and levers. Although it is clear that law enforcement institutions could not remain unaffected by emotional levels and environmental influences, they simply could not be unaffected by all that. This shows that the state, nonetheless, relies on institutions, and institutions depend on individuals, and this situation shows that there are sufficiently capable individuals within our state institutions who could place the state above everything else, prioritizing the state and the public interest, stating that the national interest should be placed above all else, and the mission, function, and maintaining the law and legality should be prioritized above all.

And I want to thank you all for this stance and this position. But I must also say that throughout this entire process, analysis is very important—what has happened to us. Without predefining anything, one of the most apparent conclusions of that analysis, in my opinion, will be that we, nonetheless, have certain issues in the establishment of state institutions, and we must primarily address those issues. In order for institutions to truly be primary and focal, personal perceptions, approaches, and desires should have as little influence on the working of these institutions, their content, and results as possible.

Once again, I congratulate you on the occasion of the Day of the Investigative Committee and wish success to everyone in the pursuit of activities for the benefit of the Republic of Armenia, for the ensuring, maintaining, and defending of law and order, the state, statehood, and sovereignty, which ultimately comes down to the preservation and protection of our people, their rights, their security, will, and dreams. Thank you."

The Chairman of the Investigative Committee, Arghishti Kyaramyan, also delivered a congratulatory message. The Chairman thanked Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan for his words of appreciation and presented the activities of the committee. Referring to the work accomplished since September 2020, Arghishti Kyaramyan noted that the investigators of the Investigative Committee had worked under extreme overload during this period, and this continues today due to the numerous criminal cases initiated and the preliminary investigation process. According to him, the relevant division of the Investigative Committee is currently investigating criminal cases related to crimes against military service order during the war, and the committee is capable of conducting a comprehensive and objective investigation aimed at fully revealing the circumstances of the 44-day war and presenting them to the public.

Next, a solemn award ceremony took place, where Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan presented state awards to the employees of the Investigative Committee for their contributions to strengthening law and legality. Vigen Mesropyan, head of the main department for supervising the activities of the territorial investigative departments of the Investigative Committee and justice counselor of the first class, and Rafael Vardanian, head of the division for investigating particularly important cases of the main military investigative department and justice counselor of the first class, were awarded the Mikhtiar Gosh Medal. Edvard Karapetyan, head of the department for investigating road traffic crimes in the Investigative Committee's Yerevan city division and justice counselor of the second class, and Vache Mkrtchyan, investigator of particularly important cases of the division for investigating general and electoral crimes and justice counselor of the second class, were awarded the Prime Minister’s commemorative medal.