“Gyumri “Femida” Legal Clinic NGO will not participate in the contest to join the Anti-Corruption Council established by the decision of the Government,” Mr. Armen Gabrielyan, the President of the NGO told Iravaban.net. The reason is allocating only two seats to the Civil Society Organizations may not be effective in terms of the Council’s activity.
“Definitely it will not succeed. Our organization meets the criteria for membership but we do not want because two votes are too little. If one is not able to provide an alternative for the Council, then, it is a mere formality”-told A. Gabrielyan.
He said that most likely NGOs in close contact with the government will join the Anti-Corruption Council. Notably, the anti-corruption coalition uniting more than 70 NGOs has refused to participate in a competition for participation in this council, as well as the Public Network for cooperation with State Authorities consisting of 150 NGOs, The Coalition of Armenian NGOs with Special Consultative Status in the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and the anti-corruption NGO “Transparency International” “(TI), which has participated in the elaboration of the anti-corruption strategy concept prefers to stay in the status of an observer.
