The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Civil Society Discussed Prospects for Improving Public Services

On September 8, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Democracy Development Foundation jointly organized a public discussion on improving the quality of services provided by the Ministry.

The discussion was attended by Vazgush Kostanyan, Head of the Department for Quality Control of Service Delivery at the Ministry of Internal Affairs, representatives of services under the Ministry, the Ministries of Labor and Social Affairs, and Justice, as well as civil society representatives.

As noted by Tatevik Khachatryan, Senior Program Manager at the Democracy Development Foundation, communication between civil society and the Ministry of Internal Affairs traditionally takes place around more strategic issues, while this important area — services for citizens — is rarely discussed in a public hearing format.

Highlighting the importance of public discussions, Vazgush Kostanyan presented the functions and methodology of the Department for Quality Control of Service Delivery, as well as the tools for assessing and monitoring service quality. According to Kostanyan, the process of improving public services involves the development of managerial, organizational, technological, and human factors. This process is one of the key directions of the Ministry’s reform strategy.

The discussion also touched upon ongoing efforts to improve the quality of services delivered by the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The importance of citizen-centered service, the promotion of inclusiveness, and ensuring accessibility of services was emphasized.

Ararat Tevosyan, Head of the Department of Registration and Examination Services, Permits and Licensing, and Aram Melkonyan, Deputy Head of the Migration and Citizenship Service, presented the ongoing digitalization process of service delivery, answering questions related to the sector.

This event was held within the framework of the “Integrity of Justice Reforms” program. The program is implemented by a Consortium led by the Democracy Development Foundation, with members including the Public Journalism Club, the Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly Vanadzor Office, and the Protection of Rights Without Borders NGO.