Yerevan/Mediamax/. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has said that "establishment of the rule of law is the absolute priority for all of us, and the police is a key part of that process”.

At the opening of the Armenian Police board meeting, Pashinyan recalled that the second most important task of the police force is the fight against organized crime, corruption in this context, as well as similar phenomena and abuses.

“I repeat that what we mean is not and should never be the so-called “witch hunt”. I think we all understand that there is no place for political persecution and political prisoners in Armenia, no place for questionable criminal cases or persecution motivated by personal reasons,” added Pashinyan.

The Prime Minister touched on maintenance of public order and security as well.

“The police is also tasked with maintaining the environment of love and solidarity, but that does not mean that police officers should be lenient towards any offense, because it is the privileged position of some that disrupts the environment of love and solidarity,” noted Pashinyan.

He highlighted he was receiving complaints about soft treatment of traffic offenders by road traffic police, which caused concerns in the society.

“Unfortunately, the concepts of democracy and permissiveness were often viewed as the same in Armenia after the collapse of the Soviet Union and establishment of independence. However, I would like to point out that the strictest regulations and the strictest requirements to the law can be found in the democratic societies,” said Nikol Pashinyan.