The Commission on Ethics of High-Ranking Officials of Armenia have published income and asset declarations of the newly appointed judges that raise a number of questions. In the opinion of experts some data mentioned in the declarations raise doubts on transparency of the incomes. A tendency to receive thousands of dollars in donation is also apparent. In that regard Radio Liberty talked to Varuzhan Hoktanyan, Executive Director of Transparency International Anticorruption Center (TIAC). According to Hoktanyan the declarations fail to answer the question how the judges make so much money. The reply to the question should be obtained if not only several journalists and NGOs but the entire public call them to accountability to specify who, why, when and for what reason have given the money, donations to them and demand response from them.

It should be reminded that according to recent reports the judiciary was considered as one of the most corrupt sectors in Armenia. Hoktanyan mentioned that public trust in judiciary would not increase as long as the authorities do not take real steps to improve the situation aside from statements on their intentions. “The problem would be solved when the law enforcement bodies, such as the Police, especially the Special Investigation Service start to read the declarations themselves. Should they read them some improvement might be expected.”