Armenia, EU launch €5m internal affairs reform plan

PanARMENIAN.Net - A new initiative backed by nearly €5 million in EU support has been launched in Armenia to enhance the Ministry of Internal Affairs, including its police and rescue services, both professionally and institutionally.

On November 7, the launch event for the program titled “Accountable, Efficient, and Gender-Sensitive Institutional Frameworks in Armenia’s Police and Rescue Service” was held, attended by Interior Minister Arpine Sargsyan, according to the Ministry.

Representatives from the European Union, UNDP, OSCE, and various Armenian state bodies also participated. Sargsyan highlighted that the program not only continues police reforms but also develops rescue services and disaster risk management, ensuring a balanced approach across all sectors.

Key components include acquiring specialized equipment for rescue needs, developing and training first responders, and introducing an EU-modeled real-time 3D disaster risk prediction and management system.

Sargsyan emphasized the government's commitment to ongoing reform at both the institutional and operational levels, including skills and capacity development.

“I want to reaffirm the government’s commitment to continue reforming the Ministry of Internal Affairs, on an institutional, operational, and human capacity level, because we are far from assuming that merely introducing any institution means the reform is done. On the contrary, this should be seen as the starting point of a new process,” said the Minister.