PR ASSOCIATION OF ARMENIA AND USAID LAUNCH ‘LET’S GET CORRUPTION OUT OF OUR LIFE’ PROGRAM IN ARMENIA

ArmInfo
2009-11-03 17:43:00

ArmInfo. PR Association of Armenia and USAID Mobilizing Action Against
Corruption (MAAC) program have launched a project "Let’s Get Corruption
Out of Our Life", Vice President of PR Association Arman Saghatelyan
told journalists, Tuesday. According to him, it is envisaged to draw
the public attention to the problems of mutual relations between
the state machinery and representatives of small and medium business
which is more vulnerable to corruption than big companies. "No matter
what they say about regional or international integration of Armenia,
a question arises: is our country ready to it at the level of people’s
thinking? Most of our specialists give a negative answer. For instance,
applying to court today is perceived as "burning of bridges", and not
a common method of protecting one’s own rights. When our understanding
of both this and many other issues is changed, it will be much easier
to protect the interests of both citizens and key social institutes,
including small and medium business",- Saghatelyan said.

In this context, the experience of those Diaspora Armenians who
come to Armenia to take up entrepreneurship may be quite valuable,
Saghatelyan said. Being carriers of other culture, these people have
no idea of the ways of settling problems that have been accepted in
Armenia where much depends on the search of an influential relative,
he said. "We want to tell about people that are ready to live and
work in their own country, but want their rights to be protected the
state machinery which is financed by their taxes",- Saghatelyan said.

Executive Director of PR Association of Armenia Tatevik Panosyan said
that under the program, which will last 6 months, media representatives
will visit lawsuits with participation of economic entities, as well
as take part in hearings together with economic experts from Armenia
and international organizations working in the country.