Break the corruption chain. Under this slogan of the Anti-Corruption campaign of the UN Convention Against Corruption Coalition, anti-corruption events took place in Yerevan on the occasion of the International Anti-Corruption Day. The “Armenian Young Lawyers Association” NGO jointly with the Anti-Corruption Coalition of CSOs held an annual award ceremony in the framework of the EU funded “Multi-Faceted Anti-Corruption Promotion” project. The event was launched with an anti-corruption flash mob: a group of youngsters called on the participants to fight against corruption, concluding the flash mob with the slogan of the day.
President of the “Armenian Young Lawyers Association” NGO, “Multi-Faceted Anti-Corruption Promotion” Project Manager Mr. Karen Zadoyan stated in his welcoming speech that the UN Convention Against Corruption Coalition and the Anti-Corruption network consisting of around 350 public groups from all over the world call upon state governments to take anti-corruption struggle seriously.
“The year of 2014 has been very important in the fight against corruption, we enter a new stage, develop a new strategy, develop the concept of new anti-corruption body and will establish that body this year”, mentioned Deputy Minister of Justice Mr. Suren Krmoyan in his speech.
Deputy Head of the Cooperation Section of the Delegation of the European Union in Armenia Jose-Maria Medina Navarro marked the importance of the event and highlighted the fact that the EU values the efforts of the partner organizations in the anti-corruption struggle in Armenia. “It is a great honor for the Delegation of the European Union to be present at today`s award ceremony and have its contribution to the fight against corruption in Armenia”, underlined Jose-Maria Medina Navarro.
The Award ceremony started with the screening of films. Three nominations for anti-corruption awards have been set: Citizen, Journalist and Civil Society Organization of the year. For his principled stance and work-style in terms of protection of the violated rights Hrachya Avetisyan was granted the award “Citizen of the Year”. “I would like the people to believe, that there are cases, even few, maybe exceptions, one of which is our family, that we achieved positive results in different instances in both cases – mine and my wife`s”, said Hrachya Avetisyan.
Next awardees were the journalists of the “Revisor” project of the Comedy show “ArmComedy” of “ArmNews” TV Channel for fighting against corruption through satire. “Thank you for this award, this will be an additional impetus for us to fight with new determination and new energy against this evil which we hate. Yes, we hate corruption”, announced one of the authors of the “ArmComedy” project of ArmNews TV Channel Sergey Sargsyan on behalf of the team.
“The Civil Society Organization of the Year” anti-corruption award was granted to the RA Chamber of Advocates for the principled stance and work-style in terms of protection of the rights of advocates. “The Chamber of Advocates really carries out an anti-corruption strategy, we not only make these calls in the works of advocates, but also during the studies at the School of Advocates we try to insert it in the consciousness of the attendees”, said the President of the Chamber of Advocates Ara Zohrabyan.
After the event an awareness action was held in the central streets of the capital city under the slogan “Break the Corruption Chain”. The students and volunteers of the Law Students` Division of the Armenian Young Lawyers Association informed the citizens about the campaign and the slogans, implementing a poll. Overall 100 citizens took part in the poll.
