Millennium Challenge Armenian Program Needs Independent Monitoring

MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE ARMENIAN PROGRAM NEEDS INDEPENDENT MONITORING,
ASPAREZ CLUB CHAIRMAN IS CONVINCED

YEREVAN, JULY 25, NOYAN TAPAN. The name of the director of the
Millennium Challenge fund’s Armenian program will become known in the
coming days. Nazeli Vardanian, Chairwoman of the Armenian Forests
NGO, informed about it on July 24, at the presentation of current
developments of participation of civil society in the program. At the
same time, she did not wish to mention the names of 3 candidates sent
to the U.S. for approval.

N.Vardanian said that 5 NGOs elected in the Board of Beneficiaries
of the Armenian program will control the whole process of program
implementation. It was also mentioned that these organizations have
the veto and can use it in case of disagreement in any issue.

Levon Barseghian, Chairman of Board of the Asparez club, said that
the Regulations of the Board of Beneficiaries will be ready in the
coming days. In his words, the public notification organized in
connection with the program is rather bad: 750 thousand villagers
are not almost aware of the program, while the program is aimed
at improving their life conditions. It was also mentioned that the
program needs an independent monitoring, as about 180 mln USD will
be spent on implementation of construction works.