THE REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA ANTICORRUPTION COUNCIL MET AT THE OFFICE OF GOVERNMENT, PRESIDED AT BY COUNCIL CHAIR, RA PRIME MINISTER TIGRAN SARGSYAN
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Friday, 24th of October, 2008
The council discussed issues bearing on the methodology to be used
in implementing both the anti-corruption strategy and the second
part of the draft 2008-2012 action plan, as well as in monitoring
corruption level assessment activities. The meeting agenda also
featured changes in the composition of the anti-corruption strategy
monitoring commission, according to which Gevorg Kostanyan was
appointed to be head of commission.
The Council was presented with the RA anti-corruption strategy and the
second part of the draft 2008-2012 action plan which, unlike the first
part dealing with the level of corruption and the results obtained
over the past 5 years, outlines the government’s anticorruption
policy. According to the paper, the fight against corruption in
Armenia is conducted through harmonized action based on the outcomes
of the anticorruption policy and anticorruption strategy plus the
efficiency of 2008-2012 action plan. The government was said ready
to push ahead with its drive for public support mobilization through
broader civil society participation and a pro-active awareness raising
campaign. Anticorruption policies will be revised and updated on a
regular basis to ensure consistency with other State policies.
The main principles and objectives underlying Armenia’s anticorruption
strategy and the action plan were said to have been separated based
on the results (impact) expected from their implementation at the
intermediate and preliminary stages. Lowering considerably the
overall level of corruption in the country is the chief objective
behind the action plan. The Prime Minister instructed to amend the
second part of the action plan in order to strengthen the role of the
anticorruption council and the monitoring commission, as well as to
state their functions more clearly.
The meeting likewise discussed the methods to be used in monitoring
action.
Corruption assessment measures were said to be important from
the perspective of developing effective State policies in this
field. This implies evaluating the overall level, the tendencies,
the different forms, the causes and effects of corruption in order
to design and carry out targeted programs, as well as to monitor and
evaluate its impact on the economy. It was noted that any research
into this phenomenon in Armenia should first of all concentrate upon
the anticorruption strategy monitoring efficiency, as well as on how
these measures are perceived on the part of the target groups and
the public-at-large.