News

In an effort to find alternatives to the current development project in Yerevan’s District 33 (Firdusi), the Committee for the Protection of Yerevan’s Heritage jointly with Transparency International Anticorruption Center and other partners has launched an international open competition of ideas for the urban revitalization of the district.

Following its fact-finding visit to Armenia on 27-29 November 2019, the Conference of INGO’s of the Council of Europe has published a Report on Civil Participation in the Decision-Making Process. Among other sources, the Report refers to the findings of CSO Meter Armenia 2019 report by ECNL and TIAC. The recommendations of the Report are closely linked with our recommendations in CSO Meter, and include the following:

To ensure the transparency and accountability of public procurements required for the prevention, control, and treatment of COVID-19 as well as for the implementation of other complex measures related to the pandemic, in early April of 2020, Transparency International Anticorruption Center (TIAC) started a partial monitoring of procurements carried out for the above-mentioned purposes. Based on the results of said monitoring, an Executive Bulletin has been developed, which includes the monitoring results of procurements made between March 12 and June 26.

The Armenian National Platform of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum:

WELCOMES the fight of the Armenian authorities against corruption and calls on them to employ the whole potential of the Armenian public to enhance the effectiveness of this fight;

– SUPPORTS the RA executive and legislative bodies in their determination to resolve the crisis of the Constitutional Court via constitutional amendments;

– WELCOMES the support of the European Union and the Council of Europe, as well as the heads of their member states in the process of ongoing reform in Armenia;

On June 13, at the initiative of the Yerevan City Council, an emergency session was convened to discuss the fate of Yerevan’s 33rd District (Firdusi). Yerevan Mayor Hayk Marutyan, Chief of Staff of Deputy Prime Minister Tigran Avinyan, Varag Siseryan, Yerevan’s Chief Architect Artur Meschyan, Deputy Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sports, Narine Khachaturyan (joined online), Acting Chairman of the Urban Development Committee, Armen Ghularyan, members of the Yerevan City Council, representatives from the civil society and professional community were attending the discussion.

Transparency International Anticorruption Center is a member of the civil society constituency of the multi-stakeholder group (MSG) of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative Armenia (EITI Armenia), jointly with which it is present a number of recommendations aimed at the solutions of certain issues identified during the process of disclosure of beneficial owners of mining companies. 

The Anticorruption School of Transparency International Anticorruption Center (TIAC) aims to equip young people with knowledge on corruption, its types and causes, corruption risks available in political, economic, social and other sectors and their impacts, methods of fighting against corruption, anti-corruption policy in Armenia, international obligations and the process of their implementation. Participants will also obtain knowledge on ways of public participation and oversight, take part in discussions, develop critical and analytical skills.

Transparency International Anticorruption Center hereby invites auditing companies to submit applications for conducting a financial audit of the project implemented in the framework of a grant provided by the state (the budget of the noted grant: 60,673,200.00 AMD, actual expenses: 25,666,706.49 AMD)

Speaking of the issue of vetting in the judicial system in an interview with Lragir,am, TI Armenia Project Director, Varuzhan Hoktanyan has noted that there is a risk all of the problems of the judiciary will remain, politicized decisions will be handed down by courts to please the authorities and the reward for that service will be turning a blind eye to their corruption

Speaking about the scandal around an Armenian export of tobacco to Russia, in an interview with Factor TV, TI Armenia Project Director, Varuzhan Hoktanyan has noted that the only proportionate reaction by the authorities would be the launching of criminal investigations into the matter. Hoktanyan has hoped that the law-enforcement authorities will investigate the issue objectively, however, he does emphasize that there will be political pressure.