On 11 November, the regular meeting of the Youth Council under the Minister of Internal Affairs was held in Tsaghkadzor, chaired by Minister of Internal Affairs Arpine Sargsyan.

The Minister welcomed the Council members and presented the progress of the Armenia–EU visa liberalisation dialogue, addressing the measures envisaged in the Action Plan and the progress achieved in their implementation.

Addressing the introduction of the new biometric system, the Minister emphasised that two key components had been put in place as part of the process: the establishment of the legislative framework and the establishment of the necessary infrastructure.

She noted that the biometric system had been fully operational since 1 November, adding that the EU assessment mission had also examined the system's security standards.

Addressing the upcoming tasks and challenges, Arpine Sargsyan identified integrated border management as one of the most complex areas. She emphasised that this is a multi-layered process requiring close cooperation among state bodies.

The meeting featured a lively discussion on the functions of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the tasks facing the Police, combating crime, and other issues. Arpine Sargsyan answered the young people’s questions and listened to their observations and suggestions.

The meeting was held within the framework of the “Accountable, Effective and Gender-responsive Institutional Systems for Policing and Rescue Service in Armenia” (AEGIS) project, implemented jointly by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), with funding from the European Union.