CORRUPTION, GREAT BOAST SMALL ROAST
R. Sargsyan
Hayots Ashkhar Daily
Published on June10, 2008
Armenia
"Corruption makes up 1-1,5 % according to the statistic data of the
crimes in 2006, 2007, 2008. I don’t think you trust this statistics. Of
course, in essence it is much more. This data testifies to our
incomplete activity. This means we don’t disclose all the crimes and
all the criminals," Prosecutor General Aghvan Hovsepyan announced
during the consultation in the topic "Prevention, Disclosure and
Examination of Corruption", which took place in Vanadsor on June 7.
In essence the Prosecutor General is right, because beginning from
2003, we have a program on "RA Anticorruption Strategy and the Methods
to Implement it", but it has never been exercised.
Why? What is the reason that corruption is not properly disclosed in
our country? For example they "catch" one professor who has taken
money from the students and they show the same cadre on all the
TV channels. As if it was the single example of corruption in the
whole Republic.
The Prosecutor General says: "We don’t have concrete state bodies
to fight corruption in Armenia. But we have anticorruption system
working in our country, and in this framework our law enforcers,
including the Prosecutors’ do this work."
Aghvan Hovsepyan is right. We lack a concrete ministry, agency,
committee or administration to fight corruption. But there
are departments in almost all the administrations beginning from
Tax-Agency, to fight corruption. Which means everyone fights corruption
but…
We must remind you that on April 2004 another department has opened
in the General Prosecutor’s to fight corruption, which in 2007 turned
into an administration fighting corruption and organized crimes. This
means if the Prosecutor General is dissatisfied with the work, that
means firstly he is dissatisfied of the activity of the administration
under his own leadership.
By the way, still in February 2005, the Prosecutor General assigned a
task to the Procurators heading the territorial subdivisions of the
Prosecutors’ to sum up the crimes of this nature every six months
and end of the year. And the result …
The result is that for the last 3 years Aghvan Hovsepyan is very
concerned about the fact that the disclosure of crimes during those
years made up 1-1,5%.
Therefore the Prosecutor General appealed to deputy Head of RA Police
and hoped that in future the Police will be more attentive towards
corruption.
According to the data of the first six months of 2008, 51 corruption
cases have been investigated. There are provinces, such as Aragatsotn,
Armavir, Kotayk, etc. where there has been no corruption case found. In
Gegharkunik and Tavush, at least 2 cases have been investigated. Can
you imagine in whole Yerevan only two cases were found and only
one-one cases each, in Shirak and Vayots Dsor.
It turns out that Lory province is a champion in terms of corruption,
11 cases have been investigated here in the first six months of
2008. Which means Lory is the only province where anticorruption
program has worked.
What is the reason? Why do we only speak about corruption, but
practically we don’t do anything? "Great Boast, Small Roast".
According to the Prosecutor General: "What we really need to record
good results, is to start from ourselves. We must create mechanisms
in our structures to fight corruption. We must show good example,
with our morality, strong will and determination. Our people want to
see results.
They are not satisfied with what they see, because every day and
everywhere they deal with different manifestations of corruption. Of
course their assessment to our work is negative."
Of course we welcome the objective assessment and criticism of our
Prosecutor General addressed to the law enforcers Let’s see to what
extent will these consultations contribute to the disclosure of crimes
in our country.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
