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ARE PEOPLE AFRAID OF ACCEPTING BRIBE?
KarabakhOpen
17-03-2008 10:18:27
"Something is happening in the countries. In all shops, as soon as you
buy something, they give you a receipt. Nurses do not accept bribes. We
tried to pay for injection, they refused," a middle-aged woman either
complained or expressed satisfaction. The woman sitting next to her in
the bus agreed but said "if you give the right way, they will accept".
It is evident that in Karabakh they are afraid of accepting bribes. It
does not mean, of course, that they do not accept it at all but it is
important that the process has started. In addition, it has started
at all the levels.
We have learned that the president has met with the "main actors"
in various spheres of life which are believed to be the most corrupt.
The main sphere where one can make millions is perhaps
construction. They can "earn" in all its stages: project, earthwork,
construction, decoration. In the absence of coordination and control
one can receive money for the same project for several times from
various funds. For instance, it is possible to use second hand
materials and present them as new.
Over the past few weeks the top government of the country has met
with the heads of the construction companies and government agencies
which coordinate investments. The details of the meeting are not
known but according to the official news release the participants of
the consultation were warned to stop breaches.
Similar meetings were held with the heads of the major trade companies
which were strictly instructed to "show" the real turnover. Moreover,
again according to unofficial information, tax sanctions were imposed
on some major wholesale companies. There has also been a warning of
more sanctions.
Battle on corruption has involved the law enforcement agencies as well.
District policemen refuse bribes and carefully deal with wrongdoers.
Battle has not reached the judiciary (at least, there are no loud
signals).
The suspension of powers of the Supreme Court justice Nairi Hakobyan
is hardly part of this battle. The decree of the president states
that he will be appointed to another position.
The anti-corruption movement is obvious in all the spheres of life.
Law-abiding citizens approve the actions of the government. "I
run a small construction company. I pay all the taxes. It is true
that income is not big but I believe that the law should not be
broken. I was amazed when I read the list of major taxpayers in
the Azat Artsakh. My company was among the top twenty. Meanwhile,
the companies whose immense turnover is seen with the naked eye are
somewhere in the back," says the owner of the construction company.
"I think it is impossible to work without breaches in the current tax
system. If they "show" all, they may come off the loser. First it is
necessary to improve the system then to demand from people. At every
trifle you have to pay a fine, you have to make millions of statements,
the accountant does not know whom to consult for the right form of
the statement. Laws change every month. Nothing will change unless
everything is put into order," says the owner of a chain of shops.
"It is good that the government has launched battle on corruption.
Apparently, it is serious if they do not write about it in
newspapers. If the president did it just for the sake of a show,
he would have staged a "demo" and it would be over. But it is done
internally. It would be good to know who is dismissed and for what,
who breaches and how is punished. Although I understand that the
town is small, perhaps they do not want people to be disgraced,"
said an official of a government agency in a talk.
"This battle cannot be arbitrary, you may, the other may not. Otherwise
nothing will come out of it. Everyone will shake their heads and say
it is a mere redistribution of property - they will take it from me
and give it to another," said the other interlocutor.
KarabakhOpen
17-03-2008 10:18:27
"Something is happening in the countries. In all shops, as soon as you
buy something, they give you a receipt. Nurses do not accept bribes. We
tried to pay for injection, they refused," a middle-aged woman either
complained or expressed satisfaction. The woman sitting next to her in
the bus agreed but said "if you give the right way, they will accept".
It is evident that in Karabakh they are afraid of accepting bribes. It
does not mean, of course, that they do not accept it at all but it is
important that the process has started. In addition, it has started
at all the levels.
We have learned that the president has met with the "main actors"
in various spheres of life which are believed to be the most corrupt.
The main sphere where one can make millions is perhaps
construction. They can "earn" in all its stages: project, earthwork,
construction, decoration. In the absence of coordination and control
one can receive money for the same project for several times from
various funds. For instance, it is possible to use second hand
materials and present them as new.
Over the past few weeks the top government of the country has met
with the heads of the construction companies and government agencies
which coordinate investments. The details of the meeting are not
known but according to the official news release the participants of
the consultation were warned to stop breaches.
Similar meetings were held with the heads of the major trade companies
which were strictly instructed to "show" the real turnover. Moreover,
again according to unofficial information, tax sanctions were imposed
on some major wholesale companies. There has also been a warning of
more sanctions.
Battle on corruption has involved the law enforcement agencies as well.
District policemen refuse bribes and carefully deal with wrongdoers.
Battle has not reached the judiciary (at least, there are no loud
signals).
The suspension of powers of the Supreme Court justice Nairi Hakobyan
is hardly part of this battle. The decree of the president states
that he will be appointed to another position.
The anti-corruption movement is obvious in all the spheres of life.
Law-abiding citizens approve the actions of the government. "I
run a small construction company. I pay all the taxes. It is true
that income is not big but I believe that the law should not be
broken. I was amazed when I read the list of major taxpayers in
the Azat Artsakh. My company was among the top twenty. Meanwhile,
the companies whose immense turnover is seen with the naked eye are
somewhere in the back," says the owner of the construction company.
"I think it is impossible to work without breaches in the current tax
system. If they "show" all, they may come off the loser. First it is
necessary to improve the system then to demand from people. At every
trifle you have to pay a fine, you have to make millions of statements,
the accountant does not know whom to consult for the right form of
the statement. Laws change every month. Nothing will change unless
everything is put into order," says the owner of a chain of shops.
"It is good that the government has launched battle on corruption.
Apparently, it is serious if they do not write about it in
newspapers. If the president did it just for the sake of a show,
he would have staged a "demo" and it would be over. But it is done
internally. It would be good to know who is dismissed and for what,
who breaches and how is punished. Although I understand that the
town is small, perhaps they do not want people to be disgraced,"
said an official of a government agency in a talk.
"This battle cannot be arbitrary, you may, the other may not. Otherwise
nothing will come out of it. Everyone will shake their heads and say
it is a mere redistribution of property - they will take it from me
and give it to another," said the other interlocutor.