YEREVAN, September 4. /ARKA/. The office of Armenia’s financial ombudsman has received 7,192 complaints since January 2009, Armenian Financial Ombudswoman Piruz Sargsyan said Thursday in Tsakhkadzor at the fifth international conference focused on enhancement of public confidence in this institution and mechanisms of protection of consumers’ rights and interests.

“Of the 2,341 complaints filed, about 70% have been decided in favor of consumers, and they have got about AMD 554 million as compensations,” she said.

In her words, the office received 2,055 complaints about financial organizations in 2014 alone – mostly against banks and insurance companies. Thanks to the office, complainants had about AMD 101 million paid as compensations – the most of these matters have been settled amicably.

“In the first years of its activity the ombudsman office face mainly the problems related to public confidence and awareness, while now the number of complaints to the office is growing almost twice every year,” Sargsyan said.

She said that her office also keeps enhancing provincial residents’ awareness of financial organizations.

International cooperation is developing as well. In particular, Armenian and Dutch financial ombudsman offices will start cooperating soon.

Armenia’s ombudsman office started functioning on January 24, 2009 - earlier than other CIS member countries offices. In 2009, it compensated about AMD 26 million to clients. Its activity is aimed at protection of rights and interests of banks’ clients.

Specialists from the Great Britain, Canada, Luxemburg, Germany, the United States and the Netherlands are taking part in the conference. ($1 – AMD 410.73). --0--