We already have very little time to only raise the issues, the current demand is to solve the proposed issues. Declared the President of Armenian Lawyers’ Association (ALA), Coordinator of the CSOs’ Anti-Corruption Coalition Secretariat Karen Zadoyan.
During the working meeting “Corruption Risks in the Business Sector of Armenia: Recorded Problems and Upcoming Activities” he mentioned that currently the representatives of the government tend to give solutions to the problems in specific timeframes.
“We see this will and the expression of the will is the fact that the Government participates in this event in a very important representative order. It is very important for us, previously, when we invite the government representatives, of course they did not refuse to participate, but they sent persons who were not key role players in the sector, were not in the senior management and were unable to resolve problems. Currently the attitudes have changed,” Mr. Zadoyan said.
He also highlighted the process of public discussions. According to Mr. Zadoyan, the civil society and other stakeholders, in this case, the business sector, should be engaged in this process from the beginning. If the government elaborates the legislative acts on its own initiative and motivations, then later three are problems in making changes in them.
The ALA President gave an example form the process of drafting the anti-corruption strategy. The Government elaborated the concept of fight against corruption in public administration system in closed procedure, without holding public discussions. This caused discontent of the civil society. One of the proposals is to increase the participation of CSOs in the Anti-Corruption Council. “Though the Government officials, assured that our proposals would be considered, but not any step was implemented. Infact in our country the concepts are like the “Gospel,” they may not be amended,” joked Mr. Zadoyan.
The working meeting “Corruption Risks in the Business Sector of Armenia: Recorded Problems and Upcoming Activities” is organized in the scope of “Multi-Faceted Anti-Corruption Promotion” project.
The Armenian Lawyers’ Association, in cooperation with the RA Ministry of Justice, the CSO Anti-Corruption Coalition of Armenia and the Freedom of Information Center, organized this event. The event is co-funded by the “Arthurs Aghveran Resort” Hotel Complex as well.
