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CONFLICT OF INTEREST?: ANTI-CORRUPTION CENTER WANTS ANSWERS ON NA VICE-SPEAKER
[ Part 2.2: "Attached Text" ]
http://armenianow.com/news/48500/national_assembly_of_armenia_hermine_naghdalyan_tr ansparency_international
NEWS | 13.09.13 | 13:51
Photolure
By GAYANE MKRTCHYAN
ArmeniaNow reporter
Transparency International anti-corruption center has turned to the
parliament and the Ethics Commission for High-Ranking Officials of
Armenia with a motion to examine possible violation of MP ethics
by vice-speaker Hermine Naghdalyan. TI suspects that Naghdalyan has
mingled her law-making duties with her business activities, and has
asked for information on Naghdalyan's declared property and income,
and analysis of the sources in comparison with information circulated
in the press.
Hetq investigative journalism online newspaper posted an article on
August 29, titled "A 409 million drams agreement has been signed with
a Naghdalyan-owned company", claiming that Sisian BUAT LLC belonging
to her had signed a state procurement agreement without prior tender
and had by government decree approved 416.8 million drams' ($1.03
million) allotment for the capital repair of separate segments of
Yerevan-Meghri highway.
"I will provide necessary explanations, since they have turned to
the ethics commission, but if you read their demand, you will see
that the issue they point to is the parliamentarian's involvement in
entrepreneurship, which is an unfounded allegation and is not true.
As for the fact the MP had incomes, profit from that organization
of which she is a shareholder, she has never made a secret of it and
for years has openly declared it," says Naghdalyan.
In reference to the Hetq article the Republican MP says there is a
government decree by which a decision was made, and that's completely
legal. She had taken no actions that imply conflict of interests in
this connection, she says.
"If I ever happen to have a conflict of interests while being a
member of parliament I will act in accordance with the legislation,
the Constitution and rules of procedure of the Republic of Armenia,"
she says.
In July, the anti-corruption center turned to the Ethics Commission
for High-Ranking Officials asking to start a probe into Yerevan Mayor
Taron Margaryan's activities.
"Has the Commission looked into the allegations circulated by media
related to Yerevan Mayor Taron Margaryan's property and income sources;
has it analyzed and compared his declarations of income and those
of people related to him with the information speculated upon in the
press?", the TI letter to the commission read in part.
The Ethics Commission has initiated proceedings, following the center's
petition, to examine Margaryan's property and income sources, risks
of conflict of interests, possible cases of abuse of his position
and power when administering investments.
Earlier TI had turned to the Ethics Commission to examine whether
Gagik Khachatryan, the head of the State Revenue Committee, was engaged
in business activities which would involve a conflict of interest as
far as his official duties were concerned. The Commission, however,
ruled there was "no conflict of interest".
[ Part 2.2: "Attached Text" ]
http://armenianow.com/news/48500/national_assembly_of_armenia_hermine_naghdalyan_tr ansparency_international
NEWS | 13.09.13 | 13:51
Photolure
By GAYANE MKRTCHYAN
ArmeniaNow reporter
Transparency International anti-corruption center has turned to the
parliament and the Ethics Commission for High-Ranking Officials of
Armenia with a motion to examine possible violation of MP ethics
by vice-speaker Hermine Naghdalyan. TI suspects that Naghdalyan has
mingled her law-making duties with her business activities, and has
asked for information on Naghdalyan's declared property and income,
and analysis of the sources in comparison with information circulated
in the press.
Hetq investigative journalism online newspaper posted an article on
August 29, titled "A 409 million drams agreement has been signed with
a Naghdalyan-owned company", claiming that Sisian BUAT LLC belonging
to her had signed a state procurement agreement without prior tender
and had by government decree approved 416.8 million drams' ($1.03
million) allotment for the capital repair of separate segments of
Yerevan-Meghri highway.
"I will provide necessary explanations, since they have turned to
the ethics commission, but if you read their demand, you will see
that the issue they point to is the parliamentarian's involvement in
entrepreneurship, which is an unfounded allegation and is not true.
As for the fact the MP had incomes, profit from that organization
of which she is a shareholder, she has never made a secret of it and
for years has openly declared it," says Naghdalyan.
In reference to the Hetq article the Republican MP says there is a
government decree by which a decision was made, and that's completely
legal. She had taken no actions that imply conflict of interests in
this connection, she says.
"If I ever happen to have a conflict of interests while being a
member of parliament I will act in accordance with the legislation,
the Constitution and rules of procedure of the Republic of Armenia,"
she says.
In July, the anti-corruption center turned to the Ethics Commission
for High-Ranking Officials asking to start a probe into Yerevan Mayor
Taron Margaryan's activities.
"Has the Commission looked into the allegations circulated by media
related to Yerevan Mayor Taron Margaryan's property and income sources;
has it analyzed and compared his declarations of income and those
of people related to him with the information speculated upon in the
press?", the TI letter to the commission read in part.
The Ethics Commission has initiated proceedings, following the center's
petition, to examine Margaryan's property and income sources, risks
of conflict of interests, possible cases of abuse of his position
and power when administering investments.
Earlier TI had turned to the Ethics Commission to examine whether
Gagik Khachatryan, the head of the State Revenue Committee, was engaged
in business activities which would involve a conflict of interest as
far as his official duties were concerned. The Commission, however,
ruled there was "no conflict of interest".