ArmInfo. The functions of control over the expenditure of public funds will be transferred from the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Armenia to the State Control Service under the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia. At the meeting on February 3, the Committee on Financial, Credit and Budgetary Affairs of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia issued a positive conclusion on the amendments to the Law "On the State Control Service" and a large package of related documents submitted by the Government of the Republic of Armenia.
Presenting the package in the first reading, the head of the Service Romanos Petrosyan emphasized that over the past 6 years, a number of problems have been identified in the activities of the control body that require legislative regulation. In particular, it is envisaged to transfer control functions over the expenditure of budget funds from the Ministry of Finance to the State Control Service. The corresponding structure in the Ministry of Finance will be removed from its subordination and transferred to the Service.
The speaker also reported that in order for the Service to more fully and effectively implement its powers, it is sometimes necessary to have information constituting a medical secret. The development of the healthcare sector is one of the main priorities of the government, and the policy is aimed at maintaining and improving the health of the individual and society by ensuring the provision of accessible, modern and high-quality medical services. The healthcare sector, and especially the implementation of state-guaranteed free and preferential medical care and services within the framework of the state order, is one of the most sensitive areas of the state's domestic policy.
Therefore, control over the quality and volume of medical services provided within the framework of the state order, control over the legality and effectiveness of financing and other related functions cannot remain outside the activities of the Service. Moreover, as a result of the studies conducted in this area, the Service recorded violations totaling about 590 million drams, of which about 210 million drams were restored to the state budget. In addition, a schedule was drawn up with 2 medical organizations for the return of another 12 million drams to the state budget of the Republic of Armenia. Based on the materials prepared as a result of the research, a criminal case was opened.
The package grants the head of the Service the right to conduct control measures for transactions within the framework of purchases carried out by state bodies and local governments. In particular, this concerns purchases within the framework of subsidy programs, financed, among other things, by the state budget of the country.
The documents also present the procedure for admitting Service employees to data containing classified information, which is necessary for disclosing corruption schemes. In total, in order to implement the requirements of the bills, two new divisions and about 30 new staff units will be created in the structure of the Service.
Answering questions from deputies, Petrosyan also reported that out of 18 water user companies, studies were conducted in 3, on the basis of which two cases were reported to the Prime Minister and the cases were transferred to law enforcement agencies, where criminal cases were initiated, and in one case the process of summarizing the results of the monitoring is underway. In total, during the current year, it is planned to conduct studies in about a dozen water user companies.
