Stupid Quote of the Week
As corruption in Armenia skyrockets in front of our eyes, Bagrat Yesayan, the man charged with leading the fight against this disorder, is quoted by RFE/RL as casting doubts on Transparency International’s latest Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) that indicates that corruption is indeed increasing in the country.
“Corruption is not a bunch of potatoes which you can measure and say whether it has increased or decreased,” he said. “Corruption is a phenomenon which is impossible to measure, just as it is impossible to measure love and other phenomena.”
Given that I know that on a recent visit to the U.S., Yesayan privately told members of the Diaspora that corruption was not a problem in Armenia, and as the amount of illegal construction and expensive mansions owned by senior officials and oligarchs increases with each passing day, perhaps someone should wipe that stupid smile off his face.
Or, perhaps, someone should measure corruption in Armenia relative to the type of suits Yesayan wears. Still, with men like this leading the fight against corruption, is it any wonder that a recent poll indicates that only 21 percent of Armenians think that their living conditions will improve in the near future?
Even more interesting to note that I have never once heard any government official, including Yesayan, contrast corruption to a sack of potatoes when political points could be scored over neighboring countries. Time to find a new job, Mr. Yesayan. You’re beginning to make Sergo Yeritsyan look capable.
