1215) There Is Political Corruption In Armenia

Amalia Kostanyan, director of the regional development center of Transparency International stated November 6 in Yerevan that by the level of corruption Armenia is the 93rd among 169 countries, and in 2006 the high level of corruption in Armenia did not change, and the situation has not improved over the past three years, reports ARKA News Agency. In the meantime, an anti-corruption strategy has been implemented in Armenia for three years now, and the UN resolution on battling corruption has been ratified. . .

Amalia Kostanyan said her statement is based on the results of the survey conducted by their organizaiton. Transparency International classifies the countries by a ten-grade scale, and the countries which are close to Grade 10 have the lowest level of corruption.

Armenia is lower than Grade 3 together with Argentina, Syria, Bosnia and Hertzegovina. Unlike Armenia, Transparency International has reported progress in Turkey, Azerbaijan and Georgia. Georgia moved from Grade 2 to 2.8, Azerbaijan from 1.9 to 2.4, Turkey from 3.2 to 3.8. Another painful reality for Armenia, which became known as a result of Transparency International, is that political corruption is constantly growing in Armenia. According to Amalia Kostanyan, the director of the regional development center of this international organization, in 2005 corruption directed at "seizing power" was reported in Armenia. This sinister situation is reflected in the results of the survey of Freedom House. "The results of the survey of this organization show that the political and democratic rights and freedoms of the citizens are not protected in this country."

According to the survey of Freedom House, the principles of tolerance and democratic rights and freedoms are not observed in Armenia unlike Butan, Egypt, Jordan, Tunisia, Vietnam.

Amalia Kostanyan says such a situation proceeding elections must be worrying. "Today everyone in the world who develop corruption, assist the political elite in accumulating and laundering of the wealth obtained illegally," stated Amalia Kostanyan.

Lragir
Armenia Nov 6 2006