BEYOND LAW
G. Petrosyan

KarabakhOpen
21-05-2008 11:41:00

Over the past few years the government has focused on the renovation of
schools and hospitals. The society naturally approves this. There is no
need to explain to an Armenian the importance of a school. Sometimes,
however, it becomes a good business and a screen for misappropriation.

The activities of Armenia Fund in Martakert, compared with the program
for which the telethon was held, underwent considerable change. We have
learned that disagreement to the change was the reason of resignation
of the ex-head of the regional administration of Martakert Smbat
Santuryan who worked out the program.

A new program was worked out, the priority of which can be considered
with reservations. Naturally, there was not enough money for the
original program. One of the reasons was the depreciation of the
dollar. The losses of the foundation in 2004 when the rate of exchange
of the dollar dropped from 590 to 500 drams are understood but in
the next three years the foundation in fact made the same mistake.

Thoughts on misconduct by some officials occur in this context, or
at best the incompetency of the staff of the foundation who could
have kept the sum in drams.

Besides, all the projects must be approved by the ministry of building
but in case of Armenia Foundation this is ignored, which leads to
heavy consequences.

For instance, during the renovation of the hospital of Martakert
building regulations were ignored, and openings were made in the main
walls which eventually ruined the building (although the official
version is problems with the ground).

As a result of the reconstruction of the hospital part of the money
raised for the region of Hadrut was spent, and an organization close to
Prime Minister Ara Harutiunyan started to renovate the hospital. Money
ended, and now the prime minister reaches for the money of Karabakh
Telecom which pledged it for charity in 2008.

During the telethon in the region of Hadrut money was raised for
the schools of the village of Hakaku, and the repair of the school
of the village of Togh half of which was repaired in 2001, and the
other half was in ruins since the war. In the old part of the school
there is a music school for which several rooms were somehow fixed.

The ruined part was expected to be repaired, which would accommodate
the school, while the part of the school which was repaired in
2001 by CRS would accommodate the music school and the nursery
school. Especially that the heating of the nursery school would not
be a problem since a boiler house is being built.

For whatever reason, the project involved the renovation of the
renovated part of the school building, whereas the ruined part was
left as it was.

Apparently, the local government interfered for which second-hand
building materials are highly important. In this case, there were
windows and floor which could be used once again. The project value
was 100 million drams.

However, the most interesting thing happened when the building
company lobbied by Prime Minister Ara Harutiunyan took interest
in this project. The value of the project was raised by 40 million
drams. Perhaps the money was "raised" at the expense of the school of
Hakaku, and the construction of the school of Hakaku was financed from
the state budget 2008, as part of the program of investments in Hadrut.

Here is a paradox: the Diaspora raises money for the people of NKR
and it is the money of people till some point. As soon as the money
is raised, they are controlled by some officials.

Karabakh-Open.com hailed the improvement of relations between the NKR
government and Armenia Foundation, hoping that it would improve the
quality of work and effectiveness of spending. Apparently, however,
it would be better for the cause if these relations are tense.