88 Million Dram: Officials Also Fined for Tobacco Use

Since 2022, a provision prohibiting tobacco use in open and closed food establishments has been in effect. Tert.am submitted a written inquiry to the Ministry of Internal Affairs to clarify how many citizens and entity officials have been fined since the law was enacted, and what the amount of the fines is.

The ministry clarified that Article 173.2 of the Administrative Offenses Code of Armenia establishes liability for both physical and official persons, rather than public catering establishments themselves. Therefore, in cases of violations defined by this article in public catering establishments, both individuals violating the restriction ban and individuals endowed with organizational or managerial authorities in public catering establishments are subject to liability as officials.

Thus, in 2023, a total of 8,214 individuals were held liable under this article, of which 7,838 were individuals, and 376 were officials, amounting to 60,050,000 Armenian drams. Additionally, double liability was applied to 29 out of the 376 officials.

In 2024, a total of 3,370 individuals have been held liable under the same article, with 3,216 as individuals and 154 as officials, summing up to 27,750,000 Armenian drams. Among these 154 officials, 37 faced double liability.

At the same time, they clarified that separate accounts are not maintained according to the names of public catering establishments. The ministry also informed that the mentioned 376 officials in 2023 and 154 in 2024, who have been held accountable, include not only those responsible for public catering establishments but also representatives of other economic entities.

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