Corruption should seriously worry Armenia
By Laman Sadigova
Corruption today is one of the most discussed and criticized topics in Armenia. The EBRD official called the monopoly existing in the Armenian economy and protection that the Armenian authorities give to businesses a serious problem.
All attempts by international organizations to organize a struggle to eradicate this problem lead to collapse.
Transparency International, organization that is engaged in corruption research on a global scale, makes frequent negative reports on Armenia.
Corruption is indeed a serious problem in this South Caucasian country- prone to crises and, despite the many international organizations trying to change it, nothing happens.
Heriqnaz Tigranyan, legal advisor at Transparency International unequivocally accepts the statement made by the bank’s representative and shares these concerns. In her opinion, Davis’s statement is an adequate expression of the ongoing situation.
Earlier when the U.S. Ambassador to Armenia Richard Mills said that corruption is a threat to Armenia’s security, the head of the parliamentary faction of the ruling party, Vahram Baghdasaryan, characterized it as interference in the country’s internal affairs.
However, Tigranian says that such kind of anxiety is within the mandate of Ambassador, and should not be treated like this.
Some people in this poor post-Soviet country associate this problem with individual personalities dominating in the country’s economy life, others with the political elite and some even with the Armenian “mentality.”
In Armenia, according to the recent Transparency report, the confidence in public and state institutions is extremely low. Social pessimism is widespread in society and in addition to this, there is a lack of faith in the ability to fight against corruption and change anything.
Earlier in 2015, an anti-corruption commission headed by Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan was established in Armenia.
However, the committee has not done anything yet. It did not even respond to the scandal with the Armenian power grid, when a number of organizations were accused of corruption.
Corruption does not seem to have stopped, while members of the Armenian government are frequently accused of the practice themselves.
While people in this country starving and desperately abandon their country, the authorities live in giant houses purchased with the people’s money. They talk of free speech, while everyone who harshly criticize Armenian realities are forced to flee the country, in some cases even to Azerbaijan.
What else can the Armenian authorities take from their own people that drive them to the final desperation and causes governmental change?
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