WHAT WAS GEORGIA'S ADVANTAGE OVER THE REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA THAT IT WAS ABLE TO REDUCE CORRUPTION?
http://www.aravot.am/en/2012/12/06/138130/
DECEMBER 6, 2012 17:33
According to the data of Transparency International, a global
anticorruption organization, Armenia's corruption perception index of
this year is 34. This index of the Republic of Armenia is higher than
that of Azerbaijan, but Armenia hasn't improved its positions, anyway.
www.aravot.am inquired of experts where the underlying causes for
this situation were.
Vardan Bostanjyan, a former MP and a member of the Prosperous
Armenia Party (PAP), said: "The corruption in our country is caused
by irregularity, lack of responsibility, indifferent approach and
many things related to governance. In any event, not only should a
country keep an eye on those issues as much as possible, but also
employ action mechanisms while dealing with those to rule out or
reduce corruption. If that approach is not there, naturally, being
an uncontrollable phenomenon, corruption becomes the work style of
the whole society from school to the highest levels of government."
Giving the example of Georgia, Mr. Bostanjyan noted: "Corruption was
more widespread in Georgia than in the Republic of Armenia. However,
at a certain moment, those tasks were undertaken quite consistently,
and everyone realized that they would be inevitably punished
for corruption. As a result, corruption was tangibly reduced. The
political will is in employing the means of responsibility. Guess,
a man or an official, engaging in activities against our national
interests, is just fired, and after a period of relative peace, he
is appointed to a higher office, why should he give up on corruption?"
Concluding the conversation, Mr. Bostanjyan stated: "They struggle
in vain. There is only one way of struggle. Use it, since you know
quite well which way it is. If they don't use it, they are the very
corruptionists."
Vahagn Khachatryan, a member of the Armenian National Congress
(ANC), in his turn, noted: "There is no transparency in governance,
in customs and tax services and other fields, and, generally, the
system of governance is completely based on corruption."
In order to avoid future "games" of the government of the Republic
of Armenia, Mr. Khachatryan stressed that the method of study had
changed and went into detail: "Let us know this, since the government
can play its games again - we were in 129th place in the 2011 report
and now we are in 105th or 113th place. Those are not comparable."
As for comparison with Georgia, V. Khachatryan said: "It is undoubtedly
a result of political will. If the ruling party and the head of
government want to eliminate corruption, they can do it easily,
since respective laws and actions will let them do that. That is
Georgia's advantage over us. And where should that will come from in
our country... independence of the legal system, which we don't have
at all, is also important here."
Tatev HARUTYUNYAN
http://www.aravot.am/en/2012/12/06/138130/
DECEMBER 6, 2012 17:33
According to the data of Transparency International, a global
anticorruption organization, Armenia's corruption perception index of
this year is 34. This index of the Republic of Armenia is higher than
that of Azerbaijan, but Armenia hasn't improved its positions, anyway.
www.aravot.am inquired of experts where the underlying causes for
this situation were.
Vardan Bostanjyan, a former MP and a member of the Prosperous
Armenia Party (PAP), said: "The corruption in our country is caused
by irregularity, lack of responsibility, indifferent approach and
many things related to governance. In any event, not only should a
country keep an eye on those issues as much as possible, but also
employ action mechanisms while dealing with those to rule out or
reduce corruption. If that approach is not there, naturally, being
an uncontrollable phenomenon, corruption becomes the work style of
the whole society from school to the highest levels of government."
Giving the example of Georgia, Mr. Bostanjyan noted: "Corruption was
more widespread in Georgia than in the Republic of Armenia. However,
at a certain moment, those tasks were undertaken quite consistently,
and everyone realized that they would be inevitably punished
for corruption. As a result, corruption was tangibly reduced. The
political will is in employing the means of responsibility. Guess,
a man or an official, engaging in activities against our national
interests, is just fired, and after a period of relative peace, he
is appointed to a higher office, why should he give up on corruption?"
Concluding the conversation, Mr. Bostanjyan stated: "They struggle
in vain. There is only one way of struggle. Use it, since you know
quite well which way it is. If they don't use it, they are the very
corruptionists."
Vahagn Khachatryan, a member of the Armenian National Congress
(ANC), in his turn, noted: "There is no transparency in governance,
in customs and tax services and other fields, and, generally, the
system of governance is completely based on corruption."
In order to avoid future "games" of the government of the Republic
of Armenia, Mr. Khachatryan stressed that the method of study had
changed and went into detail: "Let us know this, since the government
can play its games again - we were in 129th place in the 2011 report
and now we are in 105th or 113th place. Those are not comparable."
As for comparison with Georgia, V. Khachatryan said: "It is undoubtedly
a result of political will. If the ruling party and the head of
government want to eliminate corruption, they can do it easily,
since respective laws and actions will let them do that. That is
Georgia's advantage over us. And where should that will come from in
our country... independence of the legal system, which we don't have
at all, is also important here."
Tatev HARUTYUNYAN