Lala Ghazaryan, Head of the Department of Family, Women and Children Issues of RA Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs who received a reprimand from the Prime Minister, filed an application on her withdrawal, and was dismissed of her own accord. During her tenure Head of Department the project to provide boarding school students with houses was failed and huge amount of money was wasted. In that regard Radio Liberty talked to Varuzhan Hoktanyan, Executive Director of Transparency International Anticorruption Center, along with other people.

Varuzhan Hoktanyan said that it was not seldom when people were merely sacked for failings and even for criminally punishable deeds as the most severe penalty, moreover, that vicious practice was inherited from the Soviet times. Hoktanyan did not exclude that as a result of job swap favorable conditions might be created for other officials’ close acquaintances.

“It is possible that the former employee had serious drawbacks and was even involved in corruption crimes. But after redeeming and filing an application for her withdrawal she was dismissed. Another version is possible likewise which also actually implies corruption. It is also likely that a higher direct or indirect supervisor learned that the job was more appropriate for his acquaintance and dismissal implied serious corruption risks. Therefore there is a need to wait and see who filled the vacant position, and try to understand whose acquaintance he/she was and what relations he/she had with others."