Friday, February 10 2017 19:03

ArmInfo.The Prime Minister Karen Karapetyan and US Ambassador Richard Mills and US Agency for International Development head Deborah Grieser discussed corruption in Armenia. 

As the Government's press-service told ArmInfo, the Prime Minister  presented legislative changes imitated by the Government in the given  direction, works done in the framework of corruption fight, and also  the upcoming steps. In this context Karen Karapetyan presented the  details of a number of legislative initiatives aimed at  anticorruption, modification of the existing mechanisms, new  procedure implementation and corruption risks decrease. The Premier  noted that the effectiveness and success of activities on  anticorruption depend on the position of the society as well and the  Government will work on activation of mutual contact with the  society, including Anti corruption Council stimulation. The  Government head noted that the Government is open for discussions and  offers.   

In his turn, the US Ambassador to Armenia noted with pleasure the  steps initiated by the Government against corruption. Along with that  he noted that there is still a lot to do and expressed the US  Government's readiness to support the Armenian partners in  anticorruption fight. "We are ready to work with Armenian State  Bodies which show real Political will to fight corruption", said the  Ambassador Mills. 

By the American Diplomat's request, Karen Karapetyan presented the  details on creating a preventive anticorruption body on the basis of  the Commission onEthics of High-Ranking Officials of Armenia.  The  sides also discussed the issues of the criminalization of illicit  enrichment of the Officials and the increase of investigation quality  on corruption. 

To note, The US Ambassador to Armenia Richard Mills during his speech  in American Chamber of Commerce in Armenia on February 1 in Yerevan,  said that the four-day war in Karabakh made the corruption influence  in national security provision of Armenia obvious. "The absence of  peaceful settlement of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict feeds the  corruption, as the borders of state are closed. When borders are  closed, influential businessmen are easier to control the markets and  to prevent the competition", said the Diplomat. While appreciating  the changes to the Administrative Code and the Criminal Code of  Armenia providing for fines, criminal sentences, and limitations on  holding government positions for 3 years for individuals who submit  false income declarations, the Ambassador noted that there is more  need to be done. The Ambassador also suggests that the government  consider  establishing a fully independent anti- corruption body with  full  investigative and prosecutorial authority. "This seems a  propitious  time for the government to consider this suggestion, as  we understand  the Prime Minister is currently deciding how to  restructure the  existing Anti-Corruption Council and formalize the  connections and  lines of authority between the Anti-Corruption  Council and other  bodies with anti-corruption", he said.