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“It is an important and a historical day today”, - said Naira Avetisyan, the deputy head of Yerevan Office of Council of Europe at the event marking the beginning of the pilot project of Probation Service in Armenia.

As of today in the city of Vanadzor and in Shengavit administrative district of Yerevan pilot units of Probation service begin their operations. According to Naira Avetisyan, the pilot project will have a significant importance with regards to the effective introduction of Probation Service in Armenia.

The Minister of Justice of Armenia Hovhannes Manukyan said a period of adaptation for the probation service and a full-fledged introduction of alternative sentence execution in Armenia is underway. “We appreciate the importance of this program, carried out in partnership and support with Norwegian government and the Council of Europe, since it will give us the opportunity to introduce relevant servicemen into this, and also this trial period will reveal those issues that we have. We will make our conclusions and that will help us to avoid mistakes in the legislating period. This phase will help us to identify proper solutions”, - the Minister said.

According to Manukyan, the government has approved the concept of the establishment of Probation Service, which will serve as a basis in the formation of appropriate legal system.

“Political will is highly important for the execution of alternative sentences and the effective introduction of probation service”, - the Minister underlined.

Manukyan claimed that for any new program there is always skepticism present that it would not be possible to manage in Armenia. “We must not be afraid and should move forward”, - he said.

The introduction of probation service in Armenia is anticipated in 2016.