On 12 February, a working discussion “Yerevan and Corruption” initiated by the MP Taguhi Tovmasyan was held in the National Assembly. “There is no shortage of revelations of various manifestations of corruption in management circles of Yerevan in the public arena. What is the course of these disclosures, who and to what responsibility are subjected in each case,” Taguhi Tovmasyan said during the discussion.

Systemic corruption in our country has not disappeared yet. “This is evidenced by the fact that over the last 4 years, despite many anti-corruption programs and judicial reforms, we have an indicator of swamping in the corruption perception index,” ​​Mr. Movses Aritsakesyan, representative of the CSO Anti-Corruption Coalition of Armenia said. He also noted that the city authorities do not cooperate with civil society organizations. “Chapter 21 of CEPA (Armenia-EU Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement) stipulates that the authorities should implement monitoring of the programs to involve civil society organizations. For example, 500 million drams are planned for the work with civil society organizations, in the budget of the Yerevan Municipality. When we ask where the money is spent, we do not get any information,” Movses Aristakesyan said.

Representatives of the NA factions, factions of the Yerevan Council of Elders, members of the Anti-Corruption Council of the RA Government, the Corruption Prevention Commission, representatives of the Prosecutor’s Office, the Police, the Investigative Committee, the Anti-Corruption Committee, the Ministry of Justice, the State Control Service, Yerevan Mayor Tigran Avinyan, representatives of civil society organizations, urban planning specialists were invited to the discussion.

According to the participants of the discussion, representatives of the “Civil Contract”, “Armenia” Factions of the National Assembly, the “Civil Contract”, “Mother Armenia” Factions of the Yerevan Council of Elders, the representative of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, representatives of the CSO Anti-Corruption Coalition of Armenia Arkadi Sahakyan and Movses Aristakesyan, as well as urban planning specialists, independent experts, representatives of the US and French embassies in Armenia, and the European Union Delegation in Armenia were present at the discussion.