Government Officials Not Necessarily Corrupt
I’m beginning to think that the Presidential Adviser on Anti-Corruption Initiatives chooses the wrong days to hold press conferences. According to RFE/RL’s Armenia Service, Bagrat Yesayan follows up his infamous remark about potatoes, love and corruption with the revelation that just because many Armenian MPs are loaded it doesn’t mean they’re corrupt.
Personally, I think he should have held this meeting with the press five days earlier on 1 April. Yesayan is always good for a laugh.
Bagrat Yesayan made the point that the conspicuous wealth of individuals holding senior positions in the government, security agencies and judiciary is the inevitable result of Armenia’s transition to a market economy.
“Owning a villa or a luxury car is no proof of being corrupt or thieving in itself,” he said. “This was the case in Soviet times when being wealthy in a poor society was considered a crime. Now that we have entered a period of free enterprise, ownership of [expensive] property is not a phenomenon punishable by criminal law.”
[…]
Many of the senior and mid-level Armenian officials are wealthy individuals that do not seem to live off their salaries rarely exceeding $500 a month. It is not uncommon for them to own businesses, often registered in the name of their relatives or friends. Large-scale bribery among them is also a serious problem.
Most senior officials are believed to understate their assets in their annual income declarations filed with tax authorities in accordance with Armenia’s law on financial disclosure. The law does not empower tax officials to check the veracity of those statements.
Still, on a brighter note, Yesayan does state the obvious and promises to rectify matters. Good on yer mate, but when exactly can we expect all of this to happen? Sorry to say, and forgive me if you think I’m being too harsh, but many of us aren’t convinced that the government is genuinely interested in fighting increasing corruption in Armenia.
“Only when we create a mechanism requiring every person to declare their sources of revenue used for building a luxury villa will we be able to determine whether those sources are legal or illegal,” he added.
[…]
Yesayan is now pushing for legal amendments that would make income declaration mandatory for every adult resident of Armenia. He reiterated on Thursday his view that this would enable the authorities to uncover government officials’ expensive property that formally belongs to their relatives.
And what about MPs with business interests who use their positions in Parliament to protect their own economic interests, Mr. Yesayan? That’s also abuse of power and position for personal gain. Therefore that’s also corruption.
Onnik, who cares anymore? Armenia officially became again a dusty province of Russian Empire. As usual, Armenians handed their country volunarily and with applauds. And corruption was always a modus operandi in Russian Empire multplied in Armenia by local ingenuity, so forget it. After ceding the 5th block, Iran-Armenia pipeline and probably the Armentel in the nearest future what else Robert got for bargain? his shirt?
Comment by Գագիկ — April 7, 2006 @ 8:22 am
Guess I don’t believe that people give in. If Armenians want a proper country for themselves and especially future generations they should fight to change it. Plain and simple.
Comment by Onnik — April 7, 2006 @ 9:48 am
I remember meeting this guy in person; he seemed to be more of the president’s adviser on corruption than anti-corruption…
Comment by Freedom — April 7, 2006 @ 5:41 pm
Speaking of corrupion, today when riding his bike my friend was stopped by a traffic policeman, who basically threatened to impound the vehicle unless he could have a ride. And while my friend submitted to such blatant abuse of power (and he had it already from me) the chopper didn’t. The policeman crashed himself, earning well deserved scratches and cuts. Good chopper
Comment by Nessuna — April 7, 2006 @ 7:33 pm
Sometimes you shall become crazy in order to understand crazy person. In the article one mention the guy his advisor of corruption to Robert Kocharian …and then he is fighthing anti corruption campaign….
Some fight will follow…and then I think exluding some major suprises Armenian State will contininue to exist…(as other Nation-States expcet that who has guessed Ethopian will split and Eriteria will become to exist besides Ethopia…maybe…as circumstances may be favoring will split too…but diffucult to say spliting exact name of the state ….but will have Armenian character ….)
Garo Sernaz
Comment by Garo Sernaz — April 8, 2006 @ 3:20 am