The Armenian government today gave the go-ahead to create a separate foreign intelligence agency under the direct control of the country’s prime minister.

PM Nikol Pashinyan, citing intelligence leaks and other information shortcomings Armenia experienced in the 2016 and 2020 Artsakh wars, proposed the established of the agency earlier this year.

Armenia’s National Security Service (NSS) says the country is the only one in the region that lacks such an agency.

The bill will now be sent to parliament for ratification.