Friday, 24 October 2008
The Republic of Armenia Anticorruption Council met at the Office of Government, presided at by council chair, RA Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan.
The council discussed issues bearing on the methodology to be used in implementing both the anti-corruption strategy and the second part of the draft 2008-2012 action plan, as well as in monitoring corruption level assessment activities. The meeting agenda also featured changes in the composition of the anti-corruption strategy monitoring commission, according to which Gevorg Kostanyan was appointed to be head of commission.
The Council was presented with the RA anti-corruption strategy and the second part of the draft 2008-2012 action plan which, unlike the first part dealing with the level of corruption and the results obtained over the past 5 years, outlines the government's anticorruption policy. According to the paper, the fight against corruption in Armenia is conducted through harmonized action based on the outcomes of the anticorruption policy and anticorruption strategy plus the efficiency of 2008-2012 action plan. The government was said ready to push ahead with its drive for public support mobilization through broader civil society participation and a pro-active awareness raising campaign. Anticorruption policies will be revised and updated on a regular basis to ensure consistency with other State policies.
The main principles and objectives underlying Armenia's anticorruption strategy and the action plan were said to have been separated based on the results (impact) expected from their implementation at the intermediate and preliminary stages. Lowering considerably the overall level of corruption in the country is the chief objective behind the action plan. The Prime Minister instructed to amend the second part of the action plan in order to strengthen the role of the anticorruption council and the monitoring commission, as well as to state their functions more clearly.
The meeting likewise discussed the methods to be used in monitoring action. Corruption assessment measures were said to be important from the perspective of developing effective State policies in this field. This implies evaluating the overall level, the tendencies, the different forms, the causes and effects of corruption in order to design and carry out targeted programs, as well as to monitor and evaluate its impact on the economy. It was noted that any research into this phenomenon in Armenia should first of all concentrate upon the anticorruption strategy monitoring efficiency, as well as on how these measures are perceived on the part of the target groups and the public-at-large.
