Fight against corruption has been toughened…only on paper

“Anti-corruption settlements, accessible by the new law, already on Arlis system, are good anti-corruption preventive mechanisms, than the previous law. In this sense, yes, steps in fight against corruption are bold, it’s only necessary to pass on to practical platform from paper,” Varuzhan Hoktanyan, Executive Director of Transparency International Anti-corruption Center, told 168.am, commenting on the statement by government’s representative that “we are going to bold anti-corruption steps”, and the meeting of NGOs in the Ministry of Finance last week, during which uncovering corruption manifestations in 2017, activities and measures to respond and prevent them have been touched upon.

According to him, statements on clash of interests, property declaration, works of independent appeal committee by related persons, real owners and others are positive, mechanisms of which will be settled by regulations, “However, all that is stated, that it should be, must be a fact. We need to see how this will be brought into life.”

V.Hoktanyan stated that all former governments have also stated on anti-corruption measures, and there is no considerable difference. To the question whether there are preconditions to bring them into life, he said, “Frankly speaking, I don’t want to make predictions. Moreover, the law will enter into force from April 25.”

By Gayane Khachatryan