YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 25, ARMENPRESS. Armenia’s government carried out significant reforms in the public procurement sector in 2017 which simplified the procurement process, ensured transparency and competitiveness, finance minister Vardan Aramyan told reporters at a press conference on September 25, reports Armenpress.

“In December 2016 the Parliament adopted the new law on ‘Procurement’ which entered into force in 2017. As a result the procurement forms have decreased, the procedure organization and participation conditions have been simplified, the possibility of overloading the participants with formal requirements has been ruled out”, the minister said.

He added that an effective and independent procurement appeal system has been formed taking into account the international experience. “In order to increase the transparency and publicity level of procurement processes, preventing possible corruption cases, as well as increasing the level of civilian control over other processes, a system excluding simultaneous participation of persons affiliated to the procurement processes has been installed”, he said.

An Internet-based procurement accountability program has also been introduced which enables the concerned persons to receive complete information on the procurement processes, as well as make analysis through a flexible search system.