In an interview with 1in.am, Transparency International Anticorruption Center’s executive director Varuzhan Hoktanyan noted that, in Armenia the relatives of public officials engage in business activities in various ways, thus helping officials circumvent the legal restrictions on engaging in business activities. Because Armenian law prohibits the engagement of business activities, revealing the real business owners becomes a political issue. A question thus arises, how and who should reveal and deprive those of said businesses.

If there is a political will, the official will clearly state which are his and his relative’s businesses, after which such officials will refrain from hindering the media and NGO’s from keeping an eye on said businesses and making sure that the rules of fair play are not violated, that they do not constantly win in contests, that a single person does not always do the buying, that other business are not annihilated, and competitors extruded.

According to Varuzhan, the following chain will occur in the presence of a political will, that will imply a systematic fight against corruption and a change the economic model.

  • Average citizen and businessman bring light to the issue.
  • The issue becomes serious material for media outlets, NGO’s raise the issue. For example, TIAC by conducting research, reveals present trends and in a more systematic manner presents a picture of the field of procurement.
  • The opposition uses this in order to raise the inaccuracies and receive more support during elections.
  • The respective public officials, Commission for Protection of Economic Competition, the ethics commission of high officials, law enforcement bodies will take appropriate measures and reach their goals in order to punish the violations.