REPRESENTATIVE OF TRANSPARENCY INTERNATIONAL DOES NOT EXCLUDE THAT AID TO ARMENIA WILL BE "FROZEN" PROVIDED THAT NORMAL ELECTIONS BE HELD
Noyan Tapan News Agency, Armenia
Nov 6 2006
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 6, NOYAN TAPAN. According to the studies of the
Transparency International conducted in 169 countries of the world,
Armenia is among countries with a high level of corruption. Amalia
Kostanian, Chairwoman of the Center for Regional Development of
Transparency International Armenia NGO, declared at the November 6
press conference within the framework of the Actual Subject program
of the National Press Club.
She explained that according to used methods, calculation of corruption
level starts from one point, i.e. the most corrupted are the countries
where this index is close to one. It is two years running that the
index of corruption in Armenia is "2.9," which, in A.Kostanian’s
words, is evidence of failure of fighting corruption announced by
the country’s authorities.
"In spite of anti-corruption laws adopted in the country, signing of
a number of conventions in this sphere, fighting corruption in Armenia
has an imitation character. No high-ranking official was punished for
taking bribe during the three years of official fighting corruption
and, which is the most important, on the threshold of elections the
authorities bear no responsibility for factual failure of this fight,"
A.Kostanian declared.
She especially dwelt upon such problem as political corruption, the
brightest manifestation of which is falsifications during elections.
Besides, manifestations of political corruption are also creation of
unequal conditions for agitation during electoral campaign, electoral
bribes, etc.
As regards the recent statement of the Freedom House international
human rights organization containing appeal for the Millennium
Challenge corporation for ceasing to provide aid to a number of
countries, including Armenia, in connection with not ensuring political
rights and civil freedoms, A.Kostanian did not exclude that aid to
Armenia within the framework of the above mentiond program can be
"frozen" provided that normal elections be held in Armenia.