Public Defender’s Office To Be Given As Much Funding ‘As Is Necessary’

According to Armenia's 2014 draft budget,funds allocated to the Public Defender's Office will be cut. Allocated in 2013 was 260 million AMD ($640,568 USD), while next year's budget line is for 178 million AMD ($438,542). Meanwhile, those groups who have the right to receive free legal aid have increased, said MP Edmon Marukyan in the Armenian parliament today. 

The bill, widely discussed and criticized by attorneys, which also comes into force on January 1, expects other attorneys to foot the bill for increase in funding for the Public Defender's Office. The draft laws on Amendments and Additions to the RA Law on the Bar and Additions to the RA Law on State Duty provides for a new procedure for the state registration of attorneys — which  vests power to the RA Ministry of Justice and requires attorneys to pay an annual fee of 60,000 AMD ($148) to be included in the state register for a one-year period.

Asked by Epress.am whether the state budget cuts to the Public Defender's Office is due to the new source of funding (through the 60,000 AMD annual registration fee), RA Minister of Justice Hrayr Tovmasyan said funding won't be cut this year, but that "given will be as much as is necessary."

The amount of funding, the minister said, has not yet been determined, as well as whether the draft law on attorneys will be adopted or not. "Discussions are ongoing and a way will be found to provide the necessary funding to the Public Defender's Office," he said.