Several Amendments Are Being Proposed

Since 2020, the National Assembly has adopted a number of amendments to labor
legislation, including regulations concerning paternity leave. It is now proposed to
introduce a similar regulation within the legal framework governing the Foreign Intelligence
Service.

This was stated by the Head of the Foreign Intelligence Service, Kristine
Grigoryan, during the May 6 session of the National Assembly while presenting, in first
reading, the draft law on amendments and supplements to the Law “On Foreign
Intelligence Activity and the Foreign Intelligence Service.”

According to her, several amendments are being proposed. For example, it is proposed to
establish a requirement that only citizens of the Republic of Armenia may be appointed to
the positions of Head and Deputy Head of the Foreign Intelligence Service. At present,
under public service legislation, these positions are considered administrative posts rather
than service positions.

Another proposed amendment seeks to provide a legal basis for regulating the procedure
for carrying and using weapons and special means.
“Employees of the Foreign Intelligence Service are permitted to carry and store registered
weapons and special means. In other words, the current law already includes this
reformed regulation. They are authorized, in cases and under procedures prescribed by
law, to use physical force, weapons, and special means.

At the same time, we propose establishing a legal basis for regulating the procedure for
carrying weapons and special means, as well as resolving the issue that is currently not
regulated namely, in which cases and under what procedures an employee may have the
opportunity or the right to use weapons and special means. The draft proposes the
relevant additions to address this issue,” she stated.

MP Artur Khachatryan from the “Armenia” faction asked whether, during the three years of
the Service’s operation, there had been any necessity for employees to use weapons. In
response, Kristine Grigoryan noted that the need to use weapons and special means had
indeed arisen, as the Service itself ensures the security of its own infrastructure on a 24/7
basis.