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Broadcasted via Radio Liberty, "A Crossroads of Viewpoints" program on August 9 2008 brought together TIAC Chairwoman Amalia Kostanyan and MP Hermine Naghdalyan. The program, hosted by Anna Israyelyan, reflected on the Armenian authorities' fight against corruption within the latest months, manifested by arrests of middle- and lower-ranking functionaries and law enforcement officials. Hence, an attempt was made to sort out if it implied a start of a true fight against corruption or was merely a skilful PR action.

TIAC Vice Chair Varuzhan Hoktaynan was a guest speaker at a discussion on "Freedom of Information Law as an Anti-corruption Instrument," convened on July 28 in Vanadzor and on July 29 in Ijevan. Among other issues, the discussion covered corruption level in Armenia and the Armenian government and civil society efforts in reducing corruption.

On July 26 2008, TIAC Chairwoman Amalia Kostanyan appeared as an anti-corruption expert on "Shirak" Public Television and Radio Company's "You are on the Air" live program. Together with education experts, Amalia Kostanyan answered the anchor's, TV viewers' and the people's questions directly broadcasted from downtown Gyumri.

TIAC held General Meeting on July 25, 2008 to give an account of the organization's implemented and ongoing projects within the reporting period, to inform the members of its future activities and to elect new members, Board and Chair. Chairwoman Amalia Kostanyan presented biannual activity report on accomplishing the organization's mission and goals, while Executive Director Sona Ayvazyan reflected on the organization's inventory usage report and introduced work plan for 2008-2009.

July was a hot month for Teghut Defense Group and environmentalists who, in addition to the customary protest actions in front of the government building to suspend logging of Teghut forest, paid a visit to Etchmiadzin to hand in a message addressed to His Holiness Garegin II, arranged a two-day trip to Teghut to confer on the consequences of exploitation of the copper-molybdenum mine with the local residents and participated in a number of meetings and discussions, including in the Ministry of Nature Protection of Armenia on that regard.

A number of non governmental organizations, including Transparency International Anti-corruption Center, Helsinki Citizens' Assembly Vanadzor Office, Yerevan Press Club, "Asparez" Journalists' Club and Armenian Institute for Development gathered for a roundtable discussion in Congress Hotel on June 27, 2008 to present the civil society perspective on political detainees and trials, independent investigation into March 1-2 events and formation of public trust towards judicial system, Law on Conducting Meetings, Assemblies, Rallies and Demonstrations, as well as the National Committee on Television and Radio.

Berlin / New York, 25 June 2008

Corruption in the water sector is a root cause and catalyst for the global water crisis that threatens billions of lives and exacerbates environmental degradation, according to the Global Corruption Report 2008: Corruption in the Water Sector, released by Transparency International (TI).

According to Nations in Transit 2008 Report released by Freedom House, corruption at all levels of government continues to impede Armenia's political and economic development, inhibiting the development of a competitive business environment. There is a perception that it is difficult to run a successful business without personal connections to public officials. The close links between the political and economic elite were reinforced by the May parliamentary elections, which saw many wealthy businessmen returned to Parliament.

TIAC Chairwoman Amalia Kostanyan attended Tufts University's Fletcher Summer Institute for the Advanced Study of Nonviolent Conflict from June 22 to 29, 2008. The education program was organized by Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy and Washington-based International Center on Nonviolent Conflict. The Institute schedule comprised a variety of questions addressing the most pressing issues affecting the world, such as: Why do certain civilian-led strugglers succeed while others fail?

TIAC Executive Director Sona Ayvazyan addressed a roundtable discussion regarding the implementation of PACE Resolution 1609 (2008) on the amendments to the "Law on Conducting Meetings, Assemblies, Rallies and Demonstrations of the Republic of Armenia" on June 17, 2008 in the venue of the National Citizens' Initiative. She noted that the actions, which the authorities had hastily taken without involvement of the interested parties, were not transparent and created grounds for arbitrariness and discrimination by diminishing human rights.